


Kotor: A Weird AU Story

by LenoraLana



Category: Star Wars Legends: Knights of the Old Republic (Video Games)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-10
Updated: 2019-11-09
Packaged: 2021-01-26 13:54:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 54,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21375202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LenoraLana/pseuds/LenoraLana
Summary: This is something I once made a long time ago on Kotorfanmedia under the penname Walruseater. It was just something I made for fun, with some pretty chaotic and random twists and turns. It's not a good story but it holds sentimental value for me.I do not own Star Wars or anything related to it, I only wrote this for fun.
Relationships: None applicable - Relationship





	1. Chapter 1

Carth Onasi had been very wary when he first came aboard the Endar Spire. Something very odd was going on here... He had been ordered to report to the Endar Spire, as an observer and an advisor. Because of all the years he'd served in the Republic fleet, he had more experience than any other person on the ship. It was nothing that he could put his finger on, but there was something strange going on. The Jedi had practically taken over the ship, putting a well-known Jedi named Bastila in charge. Carth knew little of her personally, but professionally, he knew all about her Battle Meditation. She was the Republic's "secret weapon" against the Sith, though that was anything but secret.

He met her on the bridge with the other senior officers, and she seemed rather cold. She somehow managed to be uptight and utterly stoic at the same time. Carth cringed inwardly as he looked at her. He was strongly reminded of Malak, the Jedi hero who had aided the Republic along with Revan. This was another Jedi hero.

Carth was not going to let down his guard around this person, or anyone. Having been betrayed by his mentor, Saul Karath-the man he had looked up to the most-he wasn't going to take the chance of being betrayed again. Or being hurt... It wasn't only that it couldn't trust anyone for fear of being betrayed. It was also that he couldn't bear to be hurt again... or to see anyone else hurt again.

Carth was jolted out of his musings when Bastila said, 'As an official representative of the Council on this ship, I must inform you that a new recruit has been assigned. A scout named Sarin Jast, who has exceptional skills-'

'What?' Carth interrupted. Bastila frowned slightly at him; it wasn't customary for one to interrupt the commanding officer. 'Uh, please forgive me,' he added hastily, 'but this is rather sudden, isn't it? I mean, a scout has been recruited just a couple hours before we're scheduled to leave...?'

'Captain Onasi,' Bastila began in a business-like tone, then stopped. 'Carth,' she continued, in a more understanding tone, 'you must trust in the wisdom of the Council in this matter. If you wish, you may check the records on this young woman. You will see that everything checks out, and you'll find all the background information about you her need.'

'I'll do that,' Carth nodded. 'Still-'

'She will be arriving within the hour,' Bastila said. 'Dismissed,' she said to everyone in the room. She turned on her heel and walked out before Carth could protest.

Right away, Carth went to his quarters and looked up any and all information about this 'Sarin Jast'. She was a scout. She had seen many worlds, some of which he hardly knew anything about. She seemed to have a somewhat shady past, having taken on more than one smuggling errand. Due to her expertise, and the fact that she hadn't done very much smuggling, the Republic had decided to overlook her slightly shady past. She also had a knack for languages, and was well-trained in martial arts. Carth let out a low whistle. Well, all of that was pretty rare to find in a raw recruit!

Still, there was something fishy going on here...

He nodded to himself as he shut off the terminal. He'd read over her service records and personal data three times. Perhaps if he met this person when she came aboard, he could gain more insight on whatever was going on.

Later, he did meet her, briefly. She had brown hair which was secured in a ponytail, though a pair of sideburns fell loosely behind her temples. She was pretty, he had to give her that. She had the look of a skilled soldier about her, almost. His eyes caught sight of a faded scar along the side of her throat; it disappeared into her neckline. Yes, she had definitely seen her share of battle... The injury was probably several years old, by the look of it. As he studied it, he wondered how she had survived the injury...

'Captain Onasi,' she said, somewhat sharply. She saluted. 'Sir.'

He realized he had been staring. He dropped his gaze and returned the salute. 'Sarin Jast, Lieutenant Rik here will take you to your quarters,' he said, indicating the young man beside him. 'This way, please,' Rik said. As they walked away, Carth decided he would definitely be watching his back on this trip.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sarin found the quarters to be spacious and comfortable. She noticed that there were two separate bunks. Sure enough, when she checked the computer, she found that she had a bunkmate. Trask Ulgo... and he worked the opposite shift. That was all well and good; she could have the room to herself when she was off-duty. She valued her privacy when she slept. First impressions were just the thing; somehow, that name in itself sounded like the name of a street thug who snored loudly and slept with grenades under his pillow...

Sarin laughed in spite of herself. She looked up his service record, and upon seeing his picture, that silly image dissolved instantly. He was handsome, she had to give him that. He had the look of, well, an officer about him. She skimmed through the record, noting with interest that he had served briefly in the Mandalore wars as a junior lieutenant, and got promoted shortly afterwards.

The next few days were rather busy, but she did manage to meet Trask once or twice. She didn't really interact with anyone, except during meals in the chow lounge. Even then, she kept to herself mostly, not participating in conversation unless someone spoke to her directly. And she had no real intentions of making friends. Why bother? She was only going to be here for a few weeks at most, and once she departed, there was a chance she'd never see many of these people again. Quite often, part of her wondered if she was being scrutinized. Well, nobody made it obvious, but it seemed that people were checking up on her, discreetly.

She didn't catch on at first, until she noticed the way Carth would regard her when she passed him in the corridors, a look of curiosity and suspicion in his eyes. Then she noticed that Bastila would often do snap inspections, but for some reason, the Jedi would always regard her for long moments while she was in the area. Bastila would also inquire about her activities and progress whenever she was in the middle of her shift. Bastila would even inquire about her whereabouts when she was off-duty... Sarin began to get very annoyed. Her superiors spoke highly of her work, yet Bastila never seemed satisfied. It almost seemed as though the Jedi was weary of her for some reason... Sarin began to develop a severe dislike for that woman.

Secret weapon for the Republic or not, she didn't need to... well, wait a minute, did this have something to do with the fact that Sarin had smuggled spice at least twice? It had been on the edge of the Outer Rim, for a Hutt who had given her an offer she couldn't refuse. It wasn't often that anyone offered three-thousand credits to take on such a small shipment. And Sarin had done the job during one of her scouting missions...

Only someone had overheard her talking to the Hutt. It was a Rodian, who was a bounty hunter of a sort. Not exactly a bounty hunter, but he did give valuable information about smugglers and such to the Republic in exchange for a humble two hundred credits or so...

Sarin swore that if she ever caught that blasted Rodian, she would settle the score. She hadn't intended to make a living off of smuggling; it was just a small errand or two for a Hutt. Yet she had almost lost her career over it, even while the smugglers the Republic should have been going after were still out there, clever and sneaky as ever.

After a while, Sarin realized that it had worked out for the best. By dealing with her harshly, taking away the credits she'd made, docking her pay, and putting a black mark on her service record, the Republic was sending a message to the shady smugglers. And it had worked to some extent; they had made a few of the smugglers on the Outer Rim nervous. Other than that, Sarin's career remained unfazed. Her superiors kept an eye on her, of course, but it was tolerable. That is, until she had to start putting up with this Bastila Shan person...

Sarin wouldn't mind it so much if she didn't get that funny feeling when the woman was around. Whenever Bastila looked at her, it was like she was looking right through her, examining her very thoughts, observing the way her mind ticked.

Ugh, that piercing gaze... Or was that all it was? At times, Sarin wondered. The Force, she'd heard, held many mysteries. 'Next time I get assigned to a Republic ship,' Sarin muttered quietly, 'I'm going to make sure it doesn't have a Jedi onboard!'

Yet she did have an advantage. Somehow she could tell when Bastila was coming. Call it women's intuition, or whatever, but it was as if she could sense her presence. She could more efficiently avoid her 'nemesis' that way.

At the end of one exceptionally busy day, she had been very pleased not to have encountered Bastila at all. She was very tired, and she slumped into her bunk without even changing out of her uniform. She closed her eyes, falling asleep instantly.

What seemed like seconds later, the ship jolted.

She'd been having a strange dream. It was odd; she was wearing a hooded cloak, and she was looking straight into Bastila's face. Bastila's jaw was set, her eyes hard, and she raised a lightsaber... Then it seemed that a nearby ship began firing, knocking her to the floor... She awoke. She was momentarily confused, but she picked herself up off the floor. Sheesh. That Jedi was having a more profound effect on Sarin than she'd thought! Now that darned woman was giving her nightmares...

The ship jolted again.

The door opened and Trask rushed in. 'Good, you're still in uniform!' he exclaimed. 'The Sith are attacking the ship. Come on, we need to go help Bastila!' Sarin's mind was still fuzzy with sleepiness. 'Sith-attack?' 'For crying out loud, wake up!' Trask said impatiently. 'You must have been sound asleep-either that or you fell out of your bunk and your head. Come on, we need to get to the bridge and protect Bastila! The Sith are boarding the ship, and everyone needs to get to the escape pods. Grab your gear and let's go!'

Sarin fumbled with her footlocker for a moment, then grabbed her sword, her blaster, her stealth unit, and a pair of medpacs. She thrust a medpac at Trask as she passed him, heading out the door. Trask and Sarin stayed close together, fighting their way to the bridge. When they got there, they saw Sith troopers... but no Bastila. Trask threw a well-aimed frag grenade which took out the troopers. 'Bastila's not here,' he said, stating the obvious. 'She's probably taken one of the escape pods already. If so, we need to get out of here. The Sith want Bastila alive, but once she's off the ship-'

'I know, there's nothing preventing the Sith from blowing this place into space dust,' Sarin said. Even though it meant they had to hurry, part of her was glad she wouldn't have to share a pod with Bastila. They left through the second bridge door, which would lead to the shortest route to the escape pods.

Carth was on his way to the escape pods himself when he encountered two officers who were pinned down. He raised his blaster and fired at the pair of Sith troopers, taking them both down. He rushed over to the crewmen. There was a man with a broken leg, and a woman who was holding her side. She had tied her jacket around the wound, and it appeared to have stopped bleeding. 'Come on,' Carth urged. He gently lifted the man to his feet-it was Lieutenant Rik-and tried his best to move him along, trying to support his injured leg as he went. The woman took Rik's other arm, and together the trio moved toward the escape pods. There was quite a lineup of people there, and they quickly but orderly went into each of the pods. The young woman helped Rik into one of the pods, following a group of other people. Soon enough, Carth was all alone with the remaining pod.

He was about to board it when the door burst open. He reached for his blaster, but recognized it as Sarin Jast. Trask was just behind her. 'You made it just in time!' Carth told them. 'We need to get out of here, now.' Just then, a tall figure appeared out of nowhere. It was a dark Jedi. 'Oh no...' Sarin said.

'Get out of here! Go!' Trask snapped, raising his melee weapon. Before Carth or Sarin could stop him, he leapt at the dark Jedi. The door closed behind them both. Sarin rushed over to it, but it was jammed shut. 'There's no time,' Carth said. 'Trask is no match for him, but we can't help him. Come on! We can't let Trask's sacrifice go in vain...' Sarin stubbornly ran her fingertips along the edges of the door, digging in her nails. Her fingers protested, but she ignored it. She couldn't just abandon him, this couldn't happen...

Carth grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the escape pod. 'Get yourself strapped in!' he snapped, and she finally accepted the reality of the situation. They couldn't afford to spend another second on this ship. She sat down beside Carth, and buckled up.

The escape pod launched just in time. They made it by the seat of their thrusters; the Endar Spire went up in flames behind them, and blew. Fortunately, the surface of the planet Taris was very close by... Several fighters followed their pod down, but Carth was a seasoned pilot; he managed to dodge their fire, then lose them. They didn't dare fire as the pod began to dart around tall buildings and skyscrapers. But the pod had taken damage before they lost the fighters. Carth had no choice but to choose a quick landing spot, and they landed. Hard. The front of the pod crunched, part of it folding inward. Sarin's seat had lurched forward, and her head smashed against the console before her as they landed. Then her seat had lurched back again, causing her neck to whiplash.

Carth fumbled with his restraints, then looked over at Sarin. She was limp as a dead fish, her head bleeding, and her legs were trapped. Part of the ship had been dented inward, and her legs were caught against her seat. Carth freed her as gently as possible, then winced. Her legs weren't broken, but they were pretty torn up. Not to mention that nasty head injury... she would need a doctor, quickly. He gently scooped her up into his arms. He kicked open the pod's hatch and bolted into the streets. There were plenty of people around, but everyone's attention was focused on the crashed pod. Onlookers gawked and gaped, and not many paid him any attention. He managed to disappear into the crowd.

He managed to stumble across an empty apartment. He placed her on the bed, knowing that he needed to get help. She had lost a lot of blood, and her face was very pale. Carth went to the 'fresher, ripping off a piece of his own sleeve and drenching it with cold water. He managed to find a plastic bucket in the closet. He rinsed it out, then filled it with water. He returned to Sarin's side, proceeding to clean her wounds.

She gasped softly, and jerked once. Then she didn't move again.

Carth ripped off his other sleeve and tied it around her head. Then he wrapped her legs up in the bunk's sheet. Then, hoping that would hold her until he returned, he headed out. He frantically asked around for a doctor, and was fortunate to find one who was taking in wounded Republic officers. When Carth told him about Sarin, he grabbed a med-kit, a few kolto packs, and a few other supplies, then told Carth to lead the way.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The doctor tended to Sarin quickly. While he looked over her and tended to her wounds, Carth went to answer a knock on the door. It was the person in charge. Luckily, though, he was willing to let them stay in exchange for the right number of credits from Carth's pocket. Apparently the man in charge was willing to look the other way for a lot of things. For one thing, as Carth soon found out, the man let aliens stay in the apartments, even though aliens generally weren't allowed in the Upper City of Taris.

So, if the manager was willing to let illegal aliens, along with a couple of shady thugs stay, he was just as willing to let Republic fugitives stay without asking any questions. Even when everyone received word that the Sith had taken control of Taris, placing the planet under strict quarantine... The doctor placed kolto packs directly on Sarin's wounds, then wrapped her injuries up good to keep them securely in place. 'I gave her something to help her sleep,' the doctor said. 'Just leave her be until this time tomorrow, then take off the bandaging and the kolto packs. Their job should be done by then. If she's not awake within three days, contact me.'

Carth nodded. As the doctor started to leave, he handed him a few credits. 'Here, take these.'

'Thank you, sir.'

'No, thank you.'

Over the next couple of days, Carth did his best to take care of Sarin, but he also did a fair amount of scouting around. He didn't want to go too far or stay away too long, in case she woke. There was a possibility she might wake up delirious, and he didn't want her wandering about while he was away. He didn't have many credits left on him. Not after paying to stay in the apartment, and paying the doctor. He found his way to the cantina, and asked around about crashed escape pods. He didn't find out much useful information. And there was still the problem of a lack of credits. Then he heard that Pazaak was a popular game in this cantina...

Nah. He wasn't a professional gambler. Sometimes he would play for fun with some of the other soldiers when off-duty, and sometimes they would make small wagers. But there wasn't much else he could think of... And older man near the cantina's entrance was selling his deck, but he wanted fifty credits for it. 'I only have forty-five,' Carth said. 'And I need some if...' He trailed off indicatively. 'Oh, I understand,' the old man said. 'All right, I'll take it for twenty-five.'

'Deal,' Carth said.

For the next two hours, Carth played Pazaak with the few creds he had left, relying on all the experience he had. It was touch and go for a while. He would get a winning streak, then he almost lost everything, then he began to win again. When he had exactly two hundred credits, he called it quits.

A blonde woman, who had watched the entire match, approached him as he headed for the cantina's exit. 'There aren't many who can best the best Pazaak player on Taris!' she gushed. 'You could probably make a lot of credits as a Pazaak player...'

'Um, yeah. Excuse me, miss,' Carth said, brushing her off as gently as possibly. He really needed to get back to Sarin...

'Wait, maybe we could do something together,' the woman said. She smiled brightly at him. 'Would you like to buy me a drink?' she asked sweetly.

'I need to get back to my apartment,' Carth said hastily. 'Sarin-uh, my partner, she-'

The woman sniffed. 'Just my luck. He already has a girl,' she said, mostly to herself. She turned around and walked away, then caught sight of a handsome Tarisian noble in the other room...

All she was interested in were good looks and a lot of credits. Carth shook his head, then left the cantina. He'd had enough of this place. With that, he went shopping. He picked up some food, some clothing, and a few supplies.

On the third day, Sarin awoke.

She sat up slowly. She glanced around and saw Carth asleep on the floor, on the opposite side of the room. He was wearing a casual orange jacket and black pants.

She was wearing... her undergarments!

She grabbed at the sheet, pulling it around herself. Very vaguely, she could remember the smell of kolto... yes, she remembered pain in her head and legs. She looked at her legs. Her skin was pink where tender flesh had just healed. On the floor beside her bunk she saw clothes. She snatched them up and hopped into them.

Her movements must have made more noise than she'd thought, for Carth's head suddenly snapped up. He quickly rose. 'Well, good to see you up,' he said. 'I was beginning to wonder if you would wake up.'

'I'm awake now,' Sarin said. 'Where are we?'

'We're in an abandoned apartment. I'm Carth. Do you remember?'

'Yes... I remember you.'

Knowing she was probably pretty confused, having been out for about three days, he briefly told her everything that happened since they crashed. 'I guess I owe you my life,' Sarin said. 'Thanks... for all you've done.'

'You don't have to thank me,' Carth said dismissively. 'I've never abandoned anyone on a mission, and I'm not about to start now.'

For the first time, Sarin realized how hungry and thirsty she was. Her mouth was dry as a desert. 'Any water?' she asked. Carth pointed her toward the 'fresher. She turned on the flow of water and drank from it as she would a fountain. After a couple of minutes, she splashed some cold water in her face.

When she was finished, Carth handed her a bowl of dried fruit. 'You read my mind,' she said, and began to devour them. Somewhere among the chewing and mouth-stuffing and managed to utter a thank-you. Carth was amazed how literally anything could taste good to a starving person. That dried fruit had been quite affordable, yet it was probably the sourest food he had ever tasted. Yet here she was, gobbling it up like a ravenous kath hound. On her second helping, however, she kept making faces. On the third helping, she sipped water in-between bites. It had been a filling meal, apparently, but although her stomach was happy, her mouth and taste buds weren't.

For several minutes, her face wore an expression that you only see when a person has bitten into something extremely sour. It took several drinks of water to wash enough of the vile taste out of her mouth. By that time, Carth had managed to get control of himself and stop chuckling. 'All right,' Sarin said. 'What now?' 'Now I guess we try and find Bastila,' Carth said.

'Bastila.' Sarin winced. That name left a bitter taste in her mouth; more so than her breakfast did. 'Any idea where to start?' she asked. 'Not really,' Carth admitted. 'I did a lot of scouting around, and I found out that some escape pods crashed in the Undercity of this world. But we'd have to pass through the Lower City to get there.'

'How do we get to the Lower City?' 'That's the problem. The elevator to the Lower City is guarded by a Sith trooper.'

Sarin sighed. 'We'll find a way by him,' she said. She found her sword and her blaster, and strapped both to her belt. 'Let's go,' she said.

Sarin Jast approached the Sith trooper who was guarding the elevator to the Lower City. She looked at him for a moment, then continued her walk, as if she intended to go past him. 'Hold it right there,' the trooper said, gripping his blaster rifle more tightly. 'No one uses his elevator except those on official Sith business.' Sarin gave him a wounded, puppy-dog look. 'I can't use this elevator?' she asked sweetly. Unfazed, the guard said 'No. Now move along!'

Sarin's hand slipped into her pocket and she withdrew a wad of credits. Carth had given her half of what he had had leftover from shopping, and she had used his Pazaak deck to win more credits in the cantina. 'How about a hundred credits?' she asked.

'Bribery?' the guard scoffed. 'Bribing the new authorities on Taris is-'

'Just the kind of thing you go for, I believe,' Sarin said coyly. She hauled out another fifty credits and slapped them on the pile. 'One fifty. Take it or leave it.'

'Two hundred. Not a credit less,' the guard said. Rolling her eyes, Sarin took out another fifty. The guard glanced left and right, then snatched the credits from her. 'Go on, hurry up,' he grumbled. Sarin and Carth dashed into the elevator, and rode it into Lower City Taris.

Upon exiting the elevator, the first things that Sarin and Carth saw were several people facing off. Three aliens on one side, three on the other. From what Sarin could deduce, three of them belonged to a gang called the Hidden Beks, and the others belonged to another gang, the Black Vulkars.

Right before her eyes, they began to fight with fists and swords. One of the Beks fell, then one of the Vulkars. Another of the Vulkars wounded a Bek, but was struck down by the second Bek. The remaining Vulkar thrust his sword into one of the Beks, killing him, only to be put down by the wounded Bek. Therefore, the wounded Bek was the only one left standing. He held his side, breathing heavily.

'Are you all right?' Carth asked cautiously.

The Bek glanced up. He was a Rodian, dressed in a yellow outfit. 'Yes,' he said in his native language. 'You must be new here,' he remarked, staring at him and Sarin. 'Be careful... Vulkars are everywhere! They'll attack anyone on sight... Need to get back to the base!' With that, the Bek hurried off, limping a little.

Sarin looked around. She shrugged. 'Any suggestions?'

'We need to find a way to get to the Undercity,' Carth said. 'I suggest we continue to scout around.' They came across the Lower City cantina, and went inside. Little did they know that they were in for a surprise. They went into the main area of the cantina, and saw an odd sight. At one of the small tables, there was a Twi'lek girl, who looked to be in her early teens, and a large Wookiee. The girl looked as though she had been crying. The Wookiee was eating and trying to be comforting to her at the same time.

'Oh, Big Z,' the girl said, wiping her eyes. She looked like she wanted to say more, but her face twisted, as though speaking would only cause her to start crying again.

Sarin looked in the girl's direction. There was a look of sympathy on her face. She approached the table and asked gently, 'What's wrong?'

Carth glanced around. While he didn't want to be unsympathetic, he did feel that they needed to be moving on. They needed to find Bastila, and they needed to find a way off this planet. They couldn't be stopping to help every lost soul they came across.

The girl looked up, slightly startled. 'Oh,' she said. She didn't recognize these people, so she figured they must be new to the Lower City. She knew her way around down here, and knew every face if not every name. These two didn't register. 'I...' She shook her head. 'Leave her be,' the Wookiee said in his native tongue. 'She has lost many friends...'

'At least I still have you, Big Z,' the girl said. She pressed her lips in a tight line, gulping back a sob. But a few tears fell down her cheeks anyway... 'Friends?' Sarin said, putting a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder.

Staring down at the table, the Twi'lek briefly told what had happened. The two gangs, the Hidden Beks and the Black Vulkars, had been at war for quite some time. When Gaden, the leader of the Beks, got into an accident and lost his sight, everyone thought he would make Brejik the leader. But Gaden didn't feel Brejik was ready for that yet, so Brejik went and joined the Vulkars, becoming their leader. Ever since, both gangs have been at war.

A few days before the annual Swoop Race, some of the Vulkars stole a prototype swoop accelerator that Gaden's technicians had built. However, this wasn't much of a problem, since Gaden's men still had the specs. All they had to do was build another, even though they would have to try harder to beat the Vulkars in the race.

Everyone knew that Beks and the Vulkars were the most powerful gangs in the Lower City. If one won the big season opener, then it would entice some of the smaller gangs to join them, which would give them an advantage over the rival gang. Gaden sent some of his best men to try and retrieve or, if nothing else, destroy the prototype that the Vulkars had. They almost succeeded, having managed to get into the Vulkar base with Mission's help. But as they were leaving, two people appeared out of nowhere, firing at them. Now, the Beks were very skilled at fighting, but even they couldn't compete with the man and woman who'd appeared. These two humans had many years of experience under their belts, and could mop up the floor with even the best street thugs.

'Who were they?' Carth asked despite himself. 'They were wearing Republic uniforms-I'd recognize those uniforms anywhere,' the girl said. 'I was the only one who got away... and I had to leave the prototype behind.'

'I don't believe Republic soldiers would do something like this,' Carth said. 'You didn't happen to catch their names, did you?'

'Uh... I think the woman called her partner 'Rik',' the girl said.

'Rik...' Carth repeated. 'Lieutenant Rik? I don't believe he would do something like this! He's a good man, and a fine officer-he served well during the Mandalore wars!'

'I don't know anything about that,' the girl said. 'But they led a bunch of Vulkars into the Bek base and killed almost everyone. There are still a few Beks, but their new leader isn't as good as Gaden was.' She wiped her eyes again. At least she looked like she was managing to get a grip on herself.

'Do you know why they did it?' Sarin asked. She sounded just as horrified and disgusted as Carth. Not that she knew anything about either gang, but the mere thought of cooperating with any street gang appalled her. Especially considering all the Republic stood for...

'I think I overheard one of them saying that it was all they could think to do,' the girl shrugged. 'I managed to eavesdrop on them as they were leaving the Bek base. The woman-Alia-said something about someone named Bastila-'

'Bastila?' Carth and Sarin said together.

'You know her?'

'Yes-what about her?' Carth asked.

'Well, I guess Brejik was going to offer up Bastila as the Vulkar's share of the prize to whoever won the swoop race,' the girl said. 'I guess his men captured her from one of the escape pods that crashed in the Undercity. From what I can tell, this Bastila must be important, because they wanted to rescue her. I guess the Vulkars agreed to let Alia race for the Vulkars-a chance to win the prize-if she and Rik agreed to kill Gaden, and as many of the other Beks as they could.'

'Well, I don't exactly approve of Republic soldiers doing a gang lord's dirty work,' Carth said, 'but if there was no other way to save Bastila-'

'Gaden was a good man!' the Twi'lek snapped. 'He was ten times the man Brejik would ever be! He's good and honest-and he loved Brejik like a son... I could tell!' She broke down again. Sarin put her arm around the Twi'lek. 'I'm sorry,' she said. But those words sounded feeble. 'What is your name?' she asked. 'I'm Sarin Jast.'

'Mission Vao.'

'I'm Carth Onasi,' Carth said, completing the introductions they'd neglected before. 'Listen, Mission, it's very important we find Bastila.'

Mission glared through her tears. 'You're one of them, aren't you!' she exclaimed. 'You're with the Republic, aren't you?' she cried, attracting the attention of people nearby. 'Shh,' Sarin said. They didn't need to draw attention to themselves. Although she could understand that Mission didn't think much of the Republic at the moment...

'Fine,' Mission said, as though deciding she would tell them what they wanted to know just to make them go away. 'They're dead, anyway. Alia won the race for the Vulkars, but Brejik chose to withdraw his prize. He'd found out that Bastila's a Jedi, so he decided she'd be more valuable elsewhere. He killed Alia and Rik when they tried to take Bastila out of there anyway. Brejik then handed Bastila over to Malak for a handsome price, and now the Sith are going to uplift the planet-wide quarantine. Now, if you'll excuse me...' She gave each of them a hard look, then said to the Wookiee, 'C'mon, Zaalbar. Let's get out of here.'

Zaalbar was about to protest that he hadn't finished eating, but decided for the sake of his friend that he'd just leave with her. There would be another time, and another meal... Sarin and Carth could only stare at each other after Mission and her companion left. Bastila had been handed over to Malak. That meant that the Republic's only real defense against the Sith had been given to the Sith. If Malak could turn Bastila to the Dark Side, then she would use her Battle Meditation against the Republic.

For all they knew, the Republic might be doomed... Just then, a news bulletin appeared on a nearby viewscreen, announcing that the planet-wide quarantine had been lifted, and that the Sith were withdrawing their troops from the surface. Ships and shuttles were now free to come and go as they pleased. 'What do we do now?' Sarin asked Carth. Carth looked at her, feeling very tired and weary. 'I guess we find a shuttle off this planet, and report back to the Republic,' he said.

Off-worlders were crowding the transport areas of Taris. There seemed to be a mad rush to get off-planet now that the quarantine had been lifted. Somehow, Carth and Sarin managed to get onto a transport, although it was rather crowded. They sat in the very back, and spoke very quietly. 'Unless we can somehow rescue Bastila from Malak, the Republic doesn't stand a chance,' Carth said.

Sarin sighed. She wasn't particularly fond of Bastila, but she did care about the future of the Republic. She didn't want the Sith to win anymore than Carth. She leaned back in her seat, staring absentmindedly out of the view port.

Carth looked at her. That scar along her throat caught his eye again. 'How did you get that?' he asked. He needed to get his mind off their current predicament. Maybe he could find out a little more about her...

She glanced at him, then fingered the scar along her throat thoughtfully. 'Oh, and old accident,' she chuckled. 'It was when...' She stopped, her face going blank. It was a memory of something she had done, or possibly a mistake she'd made in a fight. It was on the tip of her tongue, then it was just gone. In fact, the memory she had been about to tell, whatever it had been, seemed fake somehow. She narrowed her eyes, trying to remember what really happened.

'What?' Carth asked. Sarin shook her head. 'I can't seem to remember how I got it,' she said, aware of how stupid that probably sounded. She had been about to tell him all about it, and then... nothing. 'Don't feel bad,' Carth said. 'It'll probably come back in time. My guess is after all we've been through-' Sarin nodded. Yes, stress could affect the mind, sometimes. She was still staring straight ahead, fingering the scar. The memory was like a word on the tip of her tongue that just kept eluding her.

Suddenly, she recalled the dream that she'd had on the Endar Spire. It was more vivid this time, like an actual memory. She was wearing a cloak, looking at Bastila through some kind of... helmet? Yes, and she was holding a lightsaber in her own hands! As she watched, Bastila raised hers...

The moment froze in time, then the ship rocked hard. It seemed that this ship was being fired on, and she had been injured. She was on the ground, helpless. A piece of debris came down the ceiling, crashing down beside her, the edge of it cutting into her neck. Bastila rushed over, using the Force to moving the debris aside. She carefully pulled the dented helmet off of Sarin's face, then stared into her half-open eyes. Bastila closed her eyes, concentrating...

'Sarin!' Carth's voice brought her back to the present. She blinked several times. 'Are you all right? You look a little pale-and for a second there, you looked very far away!' he exclaimed. He saw her fingering that scar again, a look of horror on her face. 'What, do you remember something you feel bad about?' he asked gently.

She looked at him. 'I... I don't know,' she admitted. This wasn't making any sense. She vividly remembered holding the lightsaber, and apparently, she had been ready and willing to fight Bastila. But why-no, it had to be a dream, an hallucination. She must have been injured somehow, on whatever ship that was, and her mind had gotten things mixed up in her delirium. Bastila had apparently saved her life. Never thought I'd feel grateful to have had that woman around, she thought.

'I guess I just remembered,' she said to Carth. He deserved some sort of explanation for her mental lapse. 'I was badly injured once. Bastila saved my life. I don't know how I could have forgotten that, but apparently it did happen.'

Carth looked at her, intrigued. 'What ship?' he asked. Sarin shrugged. 'I don't remember the name. My memory seems very confused about that time...' She chuckled in spite of herself. 'I actually seem to remember holding a lightsaber, ready to strike down Bastila! I must have hit my head pretty hard.'

Carth gave her an odd, though amused look. 'How long ago did that happen?' he asked, curious. 'Do you remember?'

She thought for a moment. 'Hmmm, about two years ago, roughly? I can't seem to remember, exactly. Heck, I don't even recall what I was doing there...' She stopped, her face hardening. 'No, I wasn't on a ship then... I mean, I was in a ship, but it was one of those small, one-man scout ships. Mine was modified, having a small cargo area, but...' She trailed off, her face wrinkling in puzzlement. 'Oh, I don't know,' she shook her head, frustrated.

'I saw your service records while we were on the Endar Spire,' Carth said. 'According to it, you've been a scout for many years, and you've spent the past three years doing a lot of patrolling and scouting along the Outer Rim.'

Sarin shook her head, dismissing her inner conflict. 'Well, I seem to recall getting banged up a few times. I even remember crashing on a small moon once. I was lucky to get rescued! Maybe in some of my accidents, I had some delusions. Still, it's odd because, well, I'd never met Bastila until I came aboard the Endar Spire. Yet in my memory, I vividly remember seeing her, ready to defend herself with a lightsaber...' Her face scrunched up again. What was wrong with her? This was going to drive her crazy...

Carth stared at her. Even as he thought about it, pieces began to fall into place. Two years ago... that was about the time Bastila killed Revan, wasn't it? He wasn't sure where that train of thought was going. Without quite knowing why, he blurted the question, 'What were you wearing?'

She looked at him. Again she shook her head, smiling at the absurdity of the memory. 'A hooded cloak, or something like that. And some kind of helmet, or face plate.' She shrugged. 'And,' she added jovially, 'the lightsaber was red!' That was probably the most absurd part of the 'memory'. She was no Jedi, after all, and she certainly wasn't a Sith...

The revelation hit Carth like a punch in the stomach. The Jedi had been very elusive about Revan's death... It couldn't be, could it...? No... no... it seemed that it was. So, for some reason, the Jedi had spared the dark lord, and gave her some false memories. But for what purpose...? He was suddenly overcome by fierce anger, even fear, as he regarded the woman next to him. He thought of his wife, of Dustil...

He knew he had been right not to trust her, or even Bastila. He kept a weary eye on her for the rest of the trip, not daring to do or say anything while they were on a crowded shuttle. Still, he kept one hand near his blaster, taking care not to make it obvious. He did not speak again to her, though he nodded once in a while when she spoke.

Sarin fell silent after a few minutes. Had she offended him in some way? She would have to ask him about it when they landed.

The trip to the nearest planet took about two days, during which Carth kept a very close eye on her. He hardly slept a wink, though he did nap lightly whenever she drifted off.

She noticed how closely he watched her. She was definitely going to need to talk with him once they landed. The way he would jump slightly if she moved suddenly, and the way he never seemed to take his eyes off her, she was beginning to feel like the galaxy's most wanted criminal.

When they arrived, people began to pour out of the shuttle. Carth and Sarin took up the rear, and Sarin began to head toward an information booth. They needed to report back to the Republic, so maybe she could find out some useful info.

After two days of being weary of this woman, hardly eating or sleeping, Carth wasn't thinking straight. He simply acted, muttering a hasty excuse and grabbing her by the arm. He lead her quickly into a room where there were no people. It seemed to be an office that was closed, and someone had forgotten to lock. It would serve Carth's purpose well enough. He pressed his blaster against Sarin's temple and said coldly, 'Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you... Revan.'


	2. Chapter 2

Carth felt a little guilty at the sight of Sarin's wide eyes. She didn't even know who she was... and he could tell that she didn't even believe his accusation, and she felt utterly betrayed.

Carth tightened his grip on her arm. She deserved to be betrayed, to know how it felt. His anger swelled as he thought about what the Jedi had done. First Revan and Malak had turned on the Republic, and now it seemed that other Jedi were up to something treacherous...

'Carth!' Sarin cried. Why was he doing this? Wait a minute, had he called her 'Revan'? Time simply froze for a moment. The memory came back to her, much more clearly...

Revan knew that her ship was being boarded. The Jedi made their way to the bridge, Bastila leading the way... Sarin/Revan narrowed her eyes. The Jedi... the Jedi had done something to her... Carth could see it in her eyes. She remembered who she was. And he was going to kill her.

Something else came into her head then. Whether it was a buried memory, or old instinct, she didn't know; she merely reacted. Carth suddenly found himself pressed against the opposite wall, his blaster fallen from his grasp. Sarin held her grip on him, pressing him even more firmly against the wall. Then, raising her hand, she slowly made a fist, using the Force to squeeze his windpipe...

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Bastila struggled against her restraints. She was strapped down on a table, and had endured Malak's torture for two days. Or was it three days? She couldn't even remember. She hadn't eaten or drank much of anything since she'd been captured. Malak was trying to turn her. He was trying to wear her down, to break her will, until she gave in to the Dark Side. If he could get her to submit to anger and pain... She struggled again, but it was no use. She wasn't sure how much longer she could cope with this.

Suddenly, she sensed something. Yes, it was from the bond she shared with Revan, ever since... Oh no. Bastila gasped sharply; Revan remembered who she was, and was slipping back into the Dark Side... Bastila squeezed her eyes shut. Revan, no! She concentrated hard, trying to get her message through their bond. But she couldn't be sure if she was getting through.

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Sarin's eyes darkened as she continued to choke Carth.

Suddenly, she just let go of him completely. Gasping and choking, he fell to the floor. She stared down at him, lowering her hands. I don't know who I am anymore, she thought. And it scared her. She wasn't really Sarin Jast, yet she didn't quite seem to be Revan, either...

She fled from the room, just needing to be somewhere else. She managed to find another private spot, away from all the people, and just sat down in a corner. She brought her knees up and wrapped her arms around them. When she tried to kill Carth, had that been an act of self-preservation, or an act of anger and vengeance? Frankly, she wasn't even sure why she let him go. It had almost been like a faint whisper in the back of her mind, calling to the part of her being that cared about life...

Suddenly, it came to her. The memory of why she'd gone to the Dark Side: it was because of the Star Forge. She had been obsessed with it, wanting to harness its power, to use it for good. Only it had ensnared her, corrupting her, twisting her mind... She had fought it's influence, but it was too strong. If she'd wanted to stay on the Forge for any length of time, she had to allow the Dark Side to snatch her up. Otherwise, she would have lost her sanity.

But that still didn't answer the question. Who was she, now? The Jedi had spared her, for some reason. They'd given her a new name, and a new identity. But right now, she was alone. She could go anywhere she wished... Just then, the faint whisper was back again. Only this time, it was much more intelligible. It said... that this was a chance to make up for her past wrongs. She could help the Republic defeat the Sith. She could stop Malak...

Revan thought about this for a long moment. Part of her wanted revenge on Malak, and thirsted for the power that the Forge emanated. But another part of her wanted that blasted thing to be blown to galactic space dust, so that it could never harm anyone again...

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For the first time in two days, Bastila could actually let out a sigh of relief. Revan had returned, in a sense, but it seemed that the former dark lord was truly on the path of redemption. For the moment, anyway. Bastila knew that that could easily change in a second...

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Carth had recovered, and had picked up his blaster. He looked around the area, asking if any passersby had seen a woman with brown hair, brown eyes, wearing a casual black outfit. Unfortunately, there were too many people coming and going, and that description fit too many people.

Carth searched frantically, but didn't find her. Damn... he couldn't forgive the Jedi for this, no matter what their intentions were. He cursed himself for being such a fool; he should have known he couldn't handle a former Sith by himself. He should have kept his mouth shut and made sure she kept her guard down until he could hand her over to the proper authorities. Now he had totally blown it. Revan was at large again, and the Republic might be in more trouble than ever. He cursed himself again; he should have simply shot her when he had the chance. He'd been a fool for waiting.

Out of nowhere, Sarin-no, Revan-appeared and put a firm hand on his shoulder. 'You're coming with me,' she said firmly. Her face was unreadable, except for those intense eyes. If he refused, Carth was almost certain that she might kill him...

Still, he knew he had to make his position very clear. 'I will not betray the Republic, Revan,' he said very quietly. 'And I won't let you... either.'

Her expression didn't change. 'I want to get Malak,' she said simply. 'And... maybe we can get to Bastila.' In truth, she wasn't sure whether she wanted to kill Bastila or help save her. The Jedi had spared Revan, yes, but they had let her loose with a new identity. It didn't take a genius to figure out that they wanted to use her somehow.

Revan knew that she would have to decide where she would devote her loyalties. On the one hand, the dark part of her wanted revenge on Malak, Bastila, and perhaps even the Jedi Council... at the very least. She was no longer sure if she wanted to reclaim the mantel of Dark Lord...

Yet another part of her did want to take the path of redemption. She wanted to stop Malak, rescue Bastila, and destroy the Star Forge. She narrowed her eyes. Of course, she couldn't remember where the Forge was. Another reason to find Bastila; somehow, it seemed that rescuing her was the key to everything. Yes... she had a connection to Bas somehow, and it seemed that if anyone could help her right now, it was that stuck-up Jedi.

'We're going to rescue Bastila,' Revan stated. 'You can either help me, or you can stay here.'

'How exactly do you plan to do that?' Carth asked cautiously.

'Simple. We're going to get ourselves captured...'

Carth knew he wasn't going to like this plan one bit. He distrusted this person as much as Saul and Malak. But, what else was he going to do? If he tried to make a move on her, she might kill him. Even if she didn't, well... he knew he would much rather be in a position where he could keep an eye on her. His eyes dark with controlled anger and hatred, he said 'All right... tell me your plan.'

Sarin Jast-Revan-was a superb pilot.

She and Carth had come to a grudging compromise, which Carth reluctantly agreed to. She would proceed as Sarin Jast, and would help to find Malak and rescue Bastila... as for what she did next, she would cross that bridge when she came to it.

And Carth would work with her, and keep her true identity a secret. He really didn't have any choice, after all. And he figured that, if they did rescue Bastila, then hopefully she could handle Revan if the former Dark Lord turned on them. Again.

It made Carth uncomfortable, sitting next to Revan in the copilot's seat. But, it couldn't be helped. He preferred to be in the pilot's seat.

Through various sources and channels, they eventually pinpointed the location of Admiral Saul's flagship; the Leviathan. Carth and Sarin then arranged for themselves to get captured.

They made it appear that they were merely on a scouting mission, when they got just a little too close to the Leviathan. The enormous ship locked a tractor beam onto the ship and brought it aboard.

Carth and Sarin looked at each other; they each exchanged a slight nod. They had asked specific persons to use specific channels to make just enough of the right noise, but not enough to be suspicious. They made certain that the Sith would overhear that two Republic officers, Carth being one of them, were on a scouting mission, investing Sith activity. As agreed, Revan went by the name of Sarin Jast, a mere pilot.

They would need to work together. Carth knew Saul well, and Revan knew Malak.

Bastila screamed as Force-lightening surged through her body. When it stopped, she panted for a moment, then clenched her teeth. She would not give in...

Suddenly, she sensed something. No, Revan had been captured. Bastila concentrated... no, the former Sith Lord had planned this. And... Carth was with her?

Malak stiffened. He seemed to sense Revan's presence, too. His eyes went wide, then narrowed. Then he shook his head. He can't believe what he's sensing, Bastila thought. He thought Revan was dead... maybe I can use this to my advantage, somehow. She closed her eyes sent a silent message through the bond. It basically told Revan where she was, and that Malak was with her...

And don't do anything rash, Bastila transmitted. I sense your anger and your confusion...

Revan blinked.

'Come on,' Carth snapped. 'We have to find Bastila!'

As soon as they'd been captured, Revan called upon her Force powers to subdue the Sith troops. They hadn't expected a Force-adept, so she had taken them completely by surprise. Now, Revan and Carth were trying to find out where Bastila was.

And then, something odd had happened. A message of Bastila's whereabouts... wait, it was from Bastila herself! 'I know where she is,' Revan said quietly. 'This way,' she pointed, and began to run. Malak was there with her...

Malak sensed that she was coming. Part of him was still trying to recover from the shock of her appearance. She was alive... and she was coming to get him! Another part of him acted instinctually, activating his lightsaber and facing the door. She would be coming in, very soon.

He knows you're coming, Bastila transmitted through the bond. Be careful.

'Malak knows I'm coming,' Revan stated suddenly. 'Carth, you should stay out here.'

'No, I'm coming with you,' Carth said, jaw set. He wasn't going to leave her alone for two seconds. He was going to keep her in sight for as long as he was with her.

Revan didn't answer. She just continued running, wielding her cortosis sword. Carth followed closely, his blaster at the ready.

When she burst through the door, Malak was ready. 'I must say I'm quite surprised to find you here,' he commented. 'Why did the Jedi spare you?'

Revan glared at him. 'All that matters is that I'm here now, and I'm going to kill you,' she said. With that, she leapt forward, even as Malak lunged. Red saber sparked against the metal blade.

Carth aimed his blaster, waiting for a chance to get a good shot at Malak. Heck, he would love to just take down both of them. But if he shot Revan, Malak would just kill him next. Even though he couldn't trust Revan, she was really the Republic's only hope for the moment.

Just then, he heard footsteps approaching. He turned, and saw who it was. He already had two of the people he'd hated most in his sight, and now, the picture was complete.

It was Saul Karath.

Saul had gone to report to Malak personally about the fact that Carth Onasi was running loose on the Leviathan, apparently with a Jedi. Malak did not like to be disturbed when he was 'working on' Bastila, but Saul figured this was important enough to interrupt for. To his utter surprise, he saw Carth standing there. And when Carth saw him, the captain's eyes filled with anger and hatred, almost as much as Saul had seen in the eyes of some of Malak's apprentices.

Saul's hand went to his own blaster, and he fired at the same instant Carth did.

Bastila gritted her teeth. Revan and Malak were battling fiercely, and she was stuck here, strapped to a table. She closed her eyes. She could help in the only real way she could; with her Battle Meditation. If she could help Revan succeed...

Revan began to fight even more aggressively, and Malak began to falter a bit. After several tense moments of blocking, swinging and parrying, Revan finally delivered a fatal blow to Malak's chest. He grunted, falling to his knees.

Revan snatched up his lightsaber and finished him off. Then, very slowly, she turned to face Bastila. Her inner conflict continued to play out as she regarded the Jedi. 'Sarin-Revan,' Bastila said, 'please release me.' It was both a request and a command. Bastila had the look of a leader giving an order, and the look of a compassionate person urging her to make the right choice.

Revan did not deactivate Malak's lightsaber, but she didn't make any move to attack Bastila either. She stood there for a long moment, then finally said in a controlled voice, 'Why did you...' She stopped.

'Why did we spare you? Or why did we give you a new identity?' Bastila shook her head, preventing Revan from saying anything. Bastila decided to answer both questions. 'Because... no one deserves execution, no matter what their crimes. We gave you a second chance, Revan. You can make up for all that you've done. We needed your help to stop Malak, and to find out-'

Revan's grip tightened on the lightsaber. 'So, you thought you could wipe my mind and make me into your puppet?'

'Your mind was badly damaged when I saved your life on that bridge! Parts of your old personality still existed, but you were too dangerous! We couldn't run the risk of releasing Revan again.' Bastila stopped. 'What are you going to do?' she asked. 'You have stopped Malak, but it won't end there. One of his apprentices will take his place. We must find the Star Forge and destroy it.'

For a long moment, Revan simply stood there. Then she raised the lightsaber...

Carth fell to one knee. Saul gasped sharply and fell to the floor, limp and lifeless.

Captain Onasi had been hit in the shoulder, but it wasn't as bad as it could have been. He moved over and looked down at Saul. Yes, the admiral was dead. For the first time, Carth felt a small amount of satisfaction. His wife and son-and yes, his homeworld-had been avenged.

He felt tired.

Drawing a deep breath, he returned to where Malak and Revan were battling. Malak was lying on the ground, dead. Bastila was still strapped to a table, and Revan was approaching her, lightsaber in hand. Revan raised her lightsaber-

'Revan-no!' Carth shouted.


	3. Chapter 3

Revan raised her lightsaber-

'Revan-no!' Carth shouted.

He leaped forward as the fire-red blade came down. But then, he stopped. The saber blade merely cut the restraints, freeing Bastila's wrists and ankles. 'You made the right choice,' Bastila said.

Revan grunted. 'Maybe I just wanted to give you a fair fight,' she said.

Bastila was shaking her head. 'That's not what I sense.' She sighed. Her body was still feeling the after effects of Malak's torture, and she also felt drained, having used her Battle Meditation to aide Revan.

Carth stepped forward. 'Are you all right, Bastila?' he asked, keeping a weary eye on Revan. She still hadn't turned off that saber she was holding.

Bastila took a deep breath. 'I'm fine, Carth,' she said, only half-lying. 'Are you all right?'

'Just a blaster shot. Nothing to worry about.' Revan's the one you should be worried about.

'Revan, please deactivate the lightsaber, and I will explain everything,' Bastila said.

Carth folded his arms. Yes, she'd better explain everything. If Revan didn't decide to kill both of them, that is.

Revan took a deep breath. She looked at Bastila, then Carth, then glanced at Malak's dead body. Finally, she turned to Bastila. 'Very well,' she sighed, and the fiery blade flickered, then shut off.

She suddenly looked very drained. Her eyes had been so full of life and fire just a moment ago, but now those eyes looked empty. Again, she thought I don't know who I am anymore. She shook his head slightly. What's wrong with me? I... I'm Revan, aren't I? I know I'm not Sarin Jast. All the Jedi did to me was give me some false memories and a new identity. So why did she feel so lost? So out of touch with herself?

Maybe Revan was dead, or at least part of her. Part of her felt betrayed, even cheated. Another part of her felt... satisfied to be redeemed, to be spared.

To be given another chance at life. To make things right...

Sensing her thoughts, Bastila nodded slowly. 'You have defeated Malak, but it won't end here,' she said. 'Another will take his place. We know about the ruins you visited, Revan, and we know about the Star Forge. You must help us find it. If you don't-'

Revan held up a hand, eyes half shut. She seemed to be listening to something. 'Someone has already taken Malak's place,' she said. She narrowed her eyes. It was the same person she had seen on the Endar Spire, the dark Jedi who Trask had attacked to allow her and Carth to get away.

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Darth Bandon had sensed it immediately when his master had fallen. And he had also sensed something else... surprise. When Bandon had concentrated, he suddenly realized: Revan was still alive.

He had then decided that it was his chance to take his master's place. Already several Sith had tried to put him down, to take Malak's place. He had dealt with them easily enough. He simply killed a few of them, but he merely put some of the more useful ones in their place.

Yes, the Sith would get used to the idea that he now held the mantle of Dark Lord.

But, now wasn't the time or the place to face her.

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'He's leaving the ship,' Revan stated.

Bastila grabbed her arm, preventing her from running off. 'No, let him go. We must find the Star Forge. If you defeated him, another would simply rise up in his place.'

'She's right,' Carth said. 'You'd probably have to hunt down every Sith in the galaxy to keep that from happening. But Bastila, what's this Star Forge you keep talking about?'

'We're not really sure,' Bastila admitted. 'But whatever it is, the Sith are using it to create ships and fighters. At least, that is what we believe-'

'You're sure about this, Bastila?' Carth interrupted. 'I mean, well, it does make sense, because a lot of those ships Revan and her followers used to attack the Republic were of an unknown design. But... you're saying they might have a factory out there, somewhere?'

'Or something, yes,' Bastila said. 'Anyway, the plan was for me to use our bond to draw out your memories, which would hopefully lead us to the Star Forge.'

Revan blinked. 'Bond?'

'When I saved your life, I preserved the flicker of life in your body. That forged our bond.'

'You mean, you're linked to Revan?' Carth asked. Wonderful. He was beginning to feel less and less confident about the Jedi. First they had lied about Revan's demise, and now it turned out that the Republic's secret weapon was linked in some way to the original Dark Lord of the Sith. Yeah, things are looking up all right...

'Yes, we are linked,' Bastila answered. She turned back to Revan. 'I'm sure you can feel it, too.'

Revan didn't answer.

'So,' Carth said with a calmness he didn't feel, 'what do we do now?'

'Let's go to the bridge,' Revan said. 'It might have the coordinates of the Star Forge in the databanks.'

They went directly to the bridge. It seemed that the data was in there somewhere, but they were unable to get to it without the proper authorization codes. They could access other areas in the databank, and they could even access certain functions and controls. Just not any sensitive information or navigation charts.

Revan had a pretty good skill with computers, but even she couldn't hack into the computer. Finally, she gave up and smacked the console in frustration.

'We should get off this ship,' Bastila said.

'We came aboard in a small ship, though it's probably heavily guarded,' Carth said. 'If we can get to it, I know that all three of us can fit in it.'

They slowly made their way to the landing bay where the ship was being held. Bastila had searched both Malak's and Saul's bodies briefly for her lightsaber, but failed to find it. She frowned. For all she knew, that bloody Vulkar Brejik might still have it.

And Revan didn't look like she was going to give up her new saber anytime soon. She clutched it tightly in her hand, gripping it like the weapon it was, yet in some way, she seemed to be savoring it as a trophy.

They found the hanger bay where their ship was being kept. Revan and Bastila exchanged a nod, then rushed into the bay, taking the guards there completely by surprised. Bastila relied on Force-push and Force-choke, while Revan used her Force-powers while hacking away with her lightsaber.

Carth stood back, firing his blaster at the troopers who were on the far side of the bay. When it all ended, he, Revan and Bastila were the only ones standing.

They didn't waste any time at all. They got aboard the ship, and Carth leaped into the pilot's seat, Bastila settling in the copilot's seat. Revan just gripped the back of Bastila's seat and held on.

Once they were a safe distance from the Sith flagship, they debated for several minutes over where they should go next. Finally, they decided to head to Dantooine. Bastila seemed firmly set on the idea, since there was apparently a Jedi enclave there. Revan was appalled at the idea, but agreed that it may be a good idea to speak with the council. Carth also wasn't too happy about the idea, but begrudgingly agreed.

For some time after that, they simply traveled in silence.

Finally, Carth broke the silence. 'Bastila, there's something I have to ask you. You mentioned a little while ago, when we were arguing over where to go, that there had been some ruins on Dantooine. Ruins that Revan and Malak had found, which had parts of a star map in it, right?'

Bastila nodded. 'It was an incomplete star map. But in it, we could see Manaan, Korriban, Kashyyyk, and Tatooine. We assumed that there must be a piece of the star map on each world, and if we could find them, we could discover the location of the Star Forge.'

'So that's why you reprogrammed Revan with a new identity?' Carth shook his head. 'I don't get it. Why not just go to each planet and look for the pieces of the map? Why take the risk with Revan?'

'Because we needed Revan's memories,' Bastila said. 'We couldn't just send a party of Jedi to each planet and start searching blindly for an alien artifact. Only Revan knew exactly where the star maps are located on each world. We needed her help... and the guidance of the Force, to find them.'

'Well in that case,' Revan broke in, making them jump a little, 'maybe you should both just give me some time to meditate. Maybe I'll remember on my own. Then we wouldn't need to go visit those planets.'

'Let's just get to Dantooine, and we'll see what the Jedi masters have to say,' Bastila sighed. Things were not going as planned, that was for sure.

'Dantooine,' Bastila said, speaking the name affectionately. 'It has been some time since I have been here.' By the look on her face, this was apparently a place where she had found peace and serenity in the past.

Revan shrugged. The look on her face plainly told them that she wouldn't even be here if it had been completely up to her.

They stepped out of the ship and looked around. Carth hadn't known that there was a Jedi enclave here, but nothing was going to surprise him anymore. He had learned a long time ago to expect the unexpected... although finding out that Sarin Jast was Revan brought new meaning to the word 'unexpected'.

'We must speak with the council,' Bastila said. 'Carth, please wait here.'

'Hold on, I'm coming with you,' Carth said.

'Carth, this is a private matter, between myself, Revan, and the council,' Bastila said more firmly.

'Bastila, it's hardly private anymore,' Carth persisted. 'I know about Revan's true identity. If you don't let me come with you, I'll tell the Republic-'

'Carth,' Bastila warned, an edge in her voice. Then she sighed. She wasn't about to restrain him or knock him unconscious, and she knew how stubborn the man could be. 'Very well,' she said, the expression on her face speaking volumes. 'Follow me.'

She hurried into the enclave, Revan following close behind her, and Carth taking up the rear. He wasn't going to turn his back on either of them, but he also wasn't going to let them get too far ahead of him.

Belaya was in the courtyard, apparently just taking a walk, when she spotted them. She raised a disapproving eyebrow when she saw the three of them rushing through the enclave's corridors.

Then she spotted Sarin. 'You there!' she called, 'Padawan! Why are you not wearing the customary robes? Do you mock the honored traditions of the Order?'

Revan stopped, her eyes darkening. Padawan. If only she knew...

'Belaya!' Bastila said. 'She is here with me. We must go and speak with the council.'

'The council?' Belaya echoed. 'Then surely she must be a padawan. Why isn't she wearing the customary robes?'

Revan was getting very fed up with everyone talking about her like she wasn't there. Some of that old pride and self-absorption from her days as the Sith Lord were returning. 'If you knew who I really am, you would not be speaking to me like this,' she said.

'Sarin, please,' Bastila said. 'Belaya, this is a private matter. Drop it at once.'

Belaya raised her eyebrows at Bastila's sharp tone. 'Very well,' she said. 'I trust the council will deal with this as they see fit, since you are obviously on your way see them. May the Force be with you.' She resumed her walk.

Carth glanced in Belaya's direction curiously. So, not all of the Jedi knew about Revan, apparently. He noticed that Bastila had called her 'Sarin' in public, not 'Revan'. And the young woman didn't recognize Revan. Maybe this was entirely the council's doing. Heck, sometimes he didn't even know what his own superiors were up too, or what they had up their sleeve... Then again, it could just be part of the act. But somehow, he didn't think so.

They stepped into a large, circular room where four people stood. One was a Twi'lek, two were human, and the fourth was an elfin creature, who was not any taller than a three-year-old human child.

'Ah, Bastila,' the dark-skinned human said, 'we are pleased to see you've returned. Who are these people who have with you?' he asked.

Carth folded his arms. The Jedi masters looked very calm and serene, yet by they way they were looking at him, they weren't exactly pleased with his presence here. And they were trying to act like 'Sarin Jast' was some stranger Bastila had brought along. Nice try, but you're not fooling anyone. Not anymore.

Bastila bowed deeply, then looked at the council. 'She... remembers, and Captain Onasi knows,' she said, her tone and expression apologetic.

The masters exchanged startled and fearful glances.

Bastila continued quickly. 'But she's defeated Malak, and she did rescue me from his clutches. However, we believe that another Sith, probably one of Malak's own apprentices, has taken his place.'

'Well, this complicates things,' Vrook said.

Bastila wasn't sure if he was referring to what she'd just said, or if he was talking about Revan. She frowned slightly.

Revan folded her arms. 'Hello, Vrook,' she said dryly. She wanted to make them nervous by showing off what she could remember. Honestly, she didn't remember much, but she still wanted to make them uneasy. 'Hello to you too, Dorak, Vandar, and Zhar.' She nodded at each one as she spoke their names.

'So you remember us,' Zhar said. 'What will you do now? Will you help us?'

'Perhaps she can tell us where the Star Forge is,' Vandar said.

'Or perhaps she will attempt to reclaim her former position among the Sith,' Vrook said. He didn't say it, but it was clear he wasn't willing to take the chance. He never took his eyes off Revan, and seemed to be well-prepared in case she turned on them suddenly.

'I for one would like to know what this Star Forge is,' Carth said.

'This is a matter for the Order to deal with,' Dorak said. 'We would appreciate it if you would wait outside.' His tone was even but firm. He wanted Carth to leave, now.

Bastila cleared her throat. 'He knows,' she repeated, hoping she wouldn't have to mention Carth's threat aloud. Please let them take the hint, she thought.

'So he does,' Vrook said dryly. 'However, we are not ready to make this known to the public-'

'If you don't let me in on whatever's going on, I will make the fact that Revan's still alive public,' Carth stated.

Bastila glared at him. She was outraged that he would speak that way to the council, but grateful that she didn't have to say it.

'Very well,' Vandar said. 'We will make you a part of our plans, in exchange for your silence.'

'I didn't say I was going to be a part of anything,' Carth said. 'I just want to know what is going on.'

'So that you can tell the Republic anyway?' Vrook asked.

'I didn't ask to be a part of anything either!' Revan said, making her position very clear as well.

'Seems like you are a part of this, whether you like it or not,' Carth commented.

'I deserve an explanation,' Revan said, ignoring Carth. 'Are you telling me that you nearly killed me, then saved me, just to turn me into a tool to find the Star Forge?'

'Malak is the one who nearly killed you!' Bastila broke in. 'My strike team was sent there to capture you, then Malak opened fire on your ship. I saved your life on that bridge, and the council chose to give you a second chance at life! A chance to redeem yourself!'

'We couldn't just release you with your original identity intact,' Zhar said. 'Revan was too dangerous... but obviously...' He trailed off.

Revan opened her mouth, then closed it. She felt outraged and indignant. You people used me. You're no better than the Sith, she thought, and almost said it aloud. But something stopped her. I was the Dark Lord of the Sith... Part of her understood. They'd had no choice. And so, anger mixed with understanding.

'What will you do now?' Vrook asked, breaking the silence that had fallen. 'Will you tell us where the Star Forge is? Do you remember?'

Revan took a deep breath. She shook her head.

"You won't help us, or you don't remember?" Vandar asked.

"I don't remember," she said. And by her expression, she wasn't sure if she wanted to help them.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The council chose to speak among themselves. They had a few guest rooms within the enclave, and they allowed Carth to stay in one, Bastila and Revan to stay in the other. Obviously, they didn't want to leave Revan alone for a second.

They even ordered a few Jedi knights to patrol the corridors, though they did it discreetly.

As for Carth, he still didn't sleep much. Being a soldier, he was used to standing guard, and he could survive on little sleep if he had too. But when night fell, he felt exhausted, and so he finally went to bed and succumbed.

As for Revan, she had a rough night. While she slept, she experienced flashes of memories entangled with dreams.

The time she and Malak had wandered into the ruins for the first time, finding the first star map.

The day that she and Malak had celebrated when the Mandalorians had been defeated. Then they had ordered their fleet into the Unknown Regions, not telling the Republic where they were going...

She dreamed that she was talking to Malak within the ruins, and then he suddenly stabbed her with a fiery red lightsaber...

Then Bastila appeared out of nowhere, saving her life. As Revan stood up, Bastila sneered, then stabbed her with her own red lightsaber...

Revan awoke, panting and sweating. It was daylight outside, but it was obviously a very early hour. She glanced over at Bastila.

Bastila was as white as a ghost.

After a moment, she seemed to compose herself, then she got up and walked over to Revan. 'Are you all right?' she asked.

'What do you think?' Revan snapped.

Bastila swallowed. 'I'm sorry... I felt some of what you were dreaming. I'm afraid it may have had something to do with me... with our bond.'

Revan narrowed her eyes. 'What do you mean?'

'Well, I think we both have deep feelings-and concerns-over what has transpired over the past few days. So, we may have each caught glimpses of what the other was thinking, and our subconscious's had a field day with it as we slept.'

'Are you saying that deep down, you're afraid of me? That you may want to kill me?' Revan asked coldly.

'Sarin-Revan,' Bastila said, 'of course not! I saved your life-'

'And I saved you from Malak. I guess that makes us even. So what now?'

'Revan,' Bastila sighed, 'as I said before, we were merely sent to capture you. We weren't planning on Malak's attack.'

'But you took advantage of it and my injuries to change my identity.'

'Revan-'

'Wouldn't you have done the same thing, had you managed to capture me without Malak's interference?'

Bastila threw up her hands and sighed. 'Revan, what's done is done. The fact is, we are both here now, and you remember who you are. I think the real question should be, what are you going to do now?'

Revan was silent.

'I... I just need to get some sleep,' Revan murmured quietly. 'I feel tired.'

Bastila nodded, and returned to her own bed. Most of the other people were probably still asleep at this early hour.

Revan let out a long breath and curled up under the covers, trying to go back to sleep. She felt tired and drained, but her mind was very active, so she could not rest. She tossed and turned for a couple of hours, trying to get comfortable, and tried to relax.

The nightmares still haunted her, and the bond she shared with Bastila was also affecting her sleep. In some ways, it seemed as though Bastila was monitoring her. It was a sense she had, plus she caught the way Bastila kept glancing her way. With their bond broadcasting every emotion and action, it was very difficult to be discreet about anything.

One aspect of her personality that Revan had retained was her ability to think rationally.

She took a slow, deep breath, trying to calm her mind. In spite of herself, she began to run through the Jedi Code in her mind. There is no emotion, there is peace... She sighed. That is a lie... there is always emotion. There is- She stopped that thought, and kicked herself mentally. Stop it. You need to think about this logically. You are still Revan, the former Dark Lord of the Sith, no matter what the Council has done to you.

She sat up and swung her legs over the edge of her bed. She saw Bastila stirring, her eyes flickering, but Revan ignored her. They're all watching me, I know... they're afraid I'm going to turn on them... She sighed. And, they're right. They should be afraid. I... I am not who I used to be, I'll admit. But... but, I... She let out a breath that sounded almost like a sob, and she buried her face in her hands.

She felt a hand brush her shoulder. It was Bastila. Revan was tempted to lash out, to slap the hand away, but she restrained herself. "I'm fine," she mumbled, glancing up.

Bastila nodded. She looked worried... no longer did she seem cautious of Revan, she actually seemed to be genuinely concerned for her well-being.

Through the bond, Sarin asked, Did you ever think of joining me and Malak, when we left to aide the Republic? She raised her hand, giving Bastila a stern look as the other woman opened her mouth. I don't want to hear you parroting what the Council said to you. The Council chose to wait while worlds were burned and destroyed-they sat by and did nothing. I don't want to hear their words through your mouth. I want to hear your thoughts.

Bastila sighed. She knew that it was true. Due to their bond, they would always be receiving thoughts and feelings from each other, and although she was confident she could block out Revan's intrusions... well, Revan knew the ways of the mind, and the ways of the Force. She could probably get past Bastila's defenses if she tried hard enough, and if she was persistent enough.

"Very well," Bastila said resignedly. She lowered herself onto the edge of Sarin's bunk, then clasping her hands together on her lap. "I was only an apprentice at the time, but I chose to obey the will of the Council." She narrowed her eyes accusatorily at Revan. "I chose to trust in their wisdom, because they could sense that there was more going on than what met the eye. The Mandalorians were attacking, yes, but-"

"I get the idea," Revan growled.

"The fact is, if you and Malak had not left, you-"

"We wouldn't have fallen. I know." Revan let out a deep breath. But even as she sank back on her bed, her expression changed drastically. She had looked angry and annoyed, but now her face had the look of blank realization and astonishment.

Bastila frowned, sensing strong emotions through the bond. "What is it, Revan?" she asked warily.

"The Council was right." Revan whispered. She continued to stare straight ahead, stunned, as if a memory had returned to her. A memory which now haunted her...

It was at that moment that Bastila knew for certain that Revan was no longer the same, even though she remembered who she really was.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"You are certain about this?" Master Vrook asked wearily, massaging the bridge of his nose.

Revan, Carth, and Bastila stood before the Jedi Masters in the Council chamber. The room was circular, and everyone stood in the center of it. Revan and Bastila stood side by side, facing the masters, who were also standing. Carth was standing about a foot behind Bastila, as though he wanted to be present, yet he wanted to seclude himself at the same time. It was perhaps for that reason he remained silent.

"She says she remembers it vividly," Bastila stated.

Revan shot her a look. "I can speak for myself," she snapped. She cleared her throat and stepped forward. "In the ruins by the Enclave, there is a Star Map. I know how to get to it. It's only a piece of the whole thing, and there are also four other pieces that need to be gathered. One is on Manaan, another on Korriban, and the others are located on Tatooine and Kashyyyk. These maps show the location of the Star Forge."

"What is this Star Forge?" Master Zhar asked.

"It's... an object of the Dark Side. After the Mandalorian war ended, Malak and I followed the coordinates marked in the star maps, once we found them all, and once we put all the pieces together."

"So that is where you and Malak disappeared to, after the end of the way," Vrook murmured.

"Yes," Revan said. "And... while we were there, that was... when we embraced the Dark Side. As I said, the Star Forge is an object of the Dark Side, but... it wasn't the Star Forge itself that caused us to fall."

"Then what was it?" Vandar asked.

"There's something out there, far beyond the Outer Rim, in the Unknown Regions. Shortly after we discovered the Star Forge... I went there, alone. Malak stayed behind to supervise the production of battleships and fighters at the Star Forge-"

"The Star Forge is a factory?" Vrook broke in.

"Yes," she snapped, brow furrowing. She disliked being interrupted.

Bastila stared at her, her eyes narrowed and her mouth agape. She was about to snap at Revan, to tell her she shouldn't be so disrespectful to the Council, but Zhar spoke before she did. "Please, continue," he said in a calm, patient, and even voice.

"Like I said," Revan continued, "I left Malak in charge of the Star Forge. I went into the Unknown Regions, alone, and I learned many things there. I learned things about the Dark Side of the Force that most Sith wouldn't even imagine. The... presence I found there is the real threat. The Star Forge is a threat too, yes, and it needs to be dealt with. But I must go into the Unknown Regions, to deal with... what I found there. If I don't, the galaxy itself might be destroyed."

The Masters were silent. They could sense the truth in her words.

Revan continued. "The Star Forge must be dealt with as well. Malak is dead, but an apprentice has undoubtedly taken his place. His apprentice will no doubt use the Star Forge's resources to continue the war with the Republic. So, you should send someone to the Star Forge, to destroy it, but I must go into the Unknown Regions-"

"We cannot allow you to simply leave," Zhar said. "You are the only one who can help us locate the exact locations of these Star Maps. Only you can help us find the location of the Star Forge. Unless you can remember it's exact coordinates..."

Revan frowned. She shook her head. "No, I don't remember, I'm sorry. And..." She trailed off. "Frankly, I don't remember the exact location of that... presence... I encountered, either."

"Then, I believe it would be in our best interests to work together," Zhar said calmly. "If you were to help us locate those Star Maps, it would lead you-and us-to the Star Forge. Then, as you retrace the steps to find the Maps, you may remember more. And when you find the Star Forge, you may find clues as to the location of this presence you mentioned. Can you tell us anything more about this threat?"

"I... no," Revan said, shaking her head firmly. It was unclear as to whether she meant she could not tell, or would not tell. Perhaps it was a bit of both.

"Very well," Zhar said, coolly brushing off Revan's dissatisfactory answer. "We will make preparations for your journey. You will go into the ruins and locate the Star Map that is located here. Once you have that, we will talk further."

Revan nodded.

"Be sure to take Bastila with you," Zhar said.

"I'm coming along as well," Carth said.

Revan nodded curtly, then she turned on her heel and walked away, Bastila and Carth behind her.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As they approached the ruins, Revan bowed her head, deep in thought. She paused before the archway, and folded her hands together in a deep, meditative pose.

Who am I? she thought. Revan, or Sarin Jast?

She shook her head. I am neither. She reached up with her hand and the archway opened. She stood silently for a moment, remembering the first time she had been in there, with Malak. This time though, she had a new sense of duty and purpose.

She proceeded forward, leading the way.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sarin Jast-Revan-sat alone in the room she had shared with Bastila. Night had fallen on Dantooine, and except for general sounds that people made within the enclave, and the distant howls of kath hounds, it was a very quiet night.

Everyone within the enclave had heard the news. Revan, who was once a Jedi, and who had become the Dark Lord of the Sith, had returned. Ever since she had returned to the enclave, after exploring the ruins and finding the star map, everyone had been... watching her. By the end of the day, she was getting fed up with the way everyone kept staring at her and whispering behind her back. Some would even point at her while talking to their friends, obviously pointing out, "There's the former Sith Lord!"

Well, she did have to give most of them credit, because quite of a few of them tried to do it without her noticing, and they would turn away if she glanced at them. But there were others who simply stared openly at her, rather rudely.

Finally fed up, she had returned to her room. Thankfully, Bastila wasn't there right now. She was probably still speaking with the Council, but that was fine by Sarin. They're preparing for our trip, no doubt, she thought. She knew that the Jedi Masters were quite anxious to get them started on their journey. She knew for a fact that none of the Masters would be going. It would draw too much attention from the Sith for a Master to accompany them. But, it was fairly obvious that they wanted Bastila to accompany her...

But what about Carth? she thought. She sighed softly. She already knew the answer to that. He would be accompanying her and Bastila. She knew that he had argued with the Council for nearly three hours, and they had finally come to a compromise. He would assist with the mission of finding the Star Forge, but he would remain silent about Revan. In other words, the Jedi here on Dantooine were being careful to keep all of this hush-hush, and they didn't want everyone in the Republic knowing about it.

So Carth would join their quest, and in exchange, he would not report any of this to Admiral Dodonna.

Revan sighed softly. She looked about the room, as though seeing it for the first time. It was fairly spacious in it's own way, having enough room for two people to move about. There were two bunks and a single, metal storage box against the wall opposite from the door. The walls themselves were dull gray, as were the ceiling and floor. If it weren't for the bright colors of the sheets and the pillows on the bunks, as well as the light-gray storage box, Sarin would have considered the room quite dull.

She slid off her bunk and went over to the storage box, opening it. Inside were a few items, such as a spare Jedi robe, and... a lightsaber crystal. To her surprise, when she lifted the clothing, a note fell out of it. Curious, she picked it up off the floor and looked at it. She raised her eyebrows, realizing that it was for... her!

It read:

Revan,

I knew you would return someday. I've known ever since we captured you, and I sincerely hope you do not hold ill feelings toward us. Understand that we had little choice in the matter when we captured you. Bastila saved your life, and we gave you a second chance at life.

I have given you my crystal. You will need to construct a lightsaber, and I want you to have mine.

The letter wasn't signed. She looked on the back of it, but there was no further writing there. She picked up the crystal and looked at it. I don't need to construct my own lightsaber, she thought. I already have Malak's. Her mouth quirked as she looked at it thoughtfully. It still hung from her belt, and she never went anywhere without it. However... I do not like having a red blade, she thought.

She walked over to her bunk and sat down on it's edge. She picked up Malak's lightsaber, gripping it's handle firmly. I don't like the design of the casing, either. I will continue to use this sabre, but I will fix it so it meets my requirements. With that, she began to take it apart, carefully.

She removed the casing and took out the components. She laid the parts across her bunk, then looked down at them thoughtfully. She shook her head, then she rose again and walked back over to the storage box. She then found a couple of items she hadn't noticed before (probably because she was distracted by the letter).

She picked them up and returned to her bunk, sitting down once again. Then she set to work.

After about fifteen minutes, she had her lightsaber exactly the way she wanted it to be. The casing was basically the same, but she had tampered with it a bit, adding a few features. Part of it was due to her own inventive tinkering, but it also had to do with that unique crystal her secret friend had left her. She was now able to adjust the lightsaber in many different ways, to do many different things. She could extend and shorten the blade if she needed to, plus she could adjust its intensity. She could literally set her weapon to 'sting', so that it would hurt, but it wouldn't kill.

Now she decided it was time to activate the blade to test it. When she activated it, the blade wavered and flickered for a moment, then it solidified, becoming a solid beam of hot, brown light.

My weapon, she thought proudly, looking over her handiwork with admiration.

A soft but firm tap on the door could be heard over the lightsaber's thrumming. She deactivated it, then slapped it back onto her belt. "Come in," she called. She glanced about, and saw that the storage box was still open, and the Jedi robe was still neatly laid over the side of it, right where she had left it. She was a tidy person, in her own way, and she disliked anyone seeing 'her' room in a state of array. She went over and picked up the clothing, closing the box just as the door opened.

It was Carth. He was eyeing her wearily, and he looked grim and tired. He looks like he hasn't slept in years, she thought as she looked at him. Then again, why do you care? He's the one who's being a pain, making demands- She stopped in mid-thought, and studied him more closely. She could sense something about him, easily, especially since he was tired and worn. She met his eyes, and something flickered between them momentarily...

Sarin blinked. She had glimpsed into his mind, his very soul, without realizing what she had done. She had seen what had been there for years now... the pain and grief over losing his wife and son, and the vow he had pledged to hunt down Saul and kill him for destroying his homeworld. Her eyes softened with realization and... empathy.

So that's why you- She sighed softly. It made sense now. He had killed Saul, and Malak was dead, so part of him felt... fulfilled. But, the only things which had driven him for four years were now gone. And even though he'd had his revenge, it hadn't brought the peace and satisfaction he thought it would. Instead, he felt... empty. So he was going to do the only thing he could still do, and that was to accompany her on this vital mission... and in doing so, he felt that he could watch her, and if she began to fall back into her Sith ways, then perhaps he could do something about it...

In other words, this would give him the chance he didn't have when Telos was destroyed. All that he had left now was his loyalty to the Republic, and his devotion to his duty. Both these things required him to keep an eye on her, and to protect the Republic from her if need be. It was obvious that he didn't trust her or Bastila, and he wanted to make certain this mission would be a success.

"I just came in here to tell you the Council wants to see you," he said shortly. "We'll be leaving soon." He looked at her, his eyes narrowing. "What is it?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said. "All right, let's go. The sooner we get underway, the better."

They walked down the hallway, toward the Council chambers together. Carth stayed to her right, a couple of steps behind her, watching her carefully. When she walked, her movements were smooth and graceful, almost like a dance. She was an attractive woman, he had to admit, but he could tell that, behind that "angelic" face and those brown eyes, the Dark Side still lingered within her, even if it wasn't as strong as it once was.

Still, back in her room, he had felt... something. He didn't know what it was, but it was as if something had sparked between them when their eyes met briefly back there. He almost felt as though he had glimpsed her soul, who she truly was... not who she used to be, but who she was now.

And it scared him.

It scared him because he couldn't tell how much of her was still Revan, and how much of her was Sarin Jast now. And what really frightened her was that... she didn't know, either.

Sarin Jast waited, somewhat impatiently, just outside the Jedi enclave. She waited just beside the door, leaning heavily against the building with her arms folded across her chest. She tapped her foot impatiently, staring down at the ground.

What was taking them so long? She had been waiting out here for almost an hour. Well, they did say that I could wait in my room if I wanted, or that I could read inside, she thought. But the fact was, she didn't want to be in that enclave around those masters for a minute longer than she had too. Not after what they'd done to her. She would gladly wait outside for five hours, or an entire day, rather than wait inside for an hour.

She knew what they were doing. The Council was busy debating over which ship should be used for the mission, and who should accompany them on their journey. It was fairly obvious that they did not think it was wise to send a master to accompany them, for that would probably draw attention. In fact, it seemed that Vrook would not agree with anyone at that the moment, and he seemed to think that sending Revan at all was too dangerous. He argued with the other masters that Bastila should stay behind at the enclave, where it was safer, but then Zhar argued that no where was truly safe, not while the Sith were at large, and that Revan would need all the help she could get.

So, the masters tried to decide which Jedi Knights should accompany Bastila, Carth, and Revan-Sarin-on the journey. This was when Sarin got agitated and tried to push the Council into making a quick decision, because she was anxious to leave. She just wanted to get going, because the Sith had to be stopped, and she knew that the sooner they got going, the sooner they could find those Star Maps. But, all she got was a stern look from the Council, and they told her to leave the Council Chambers. So, she had turned and stalked off, head held high, and waited outside the Enclave.

And she was still waiting. She knew that they were probably still arguing, and she was only slightly encouraged by the fact that Bastila and Carth were still in there. Unless the Masters sent them away as well, she thought. Somehow she doubted that, because if she had, they probably would have come outside to find her. And they hadn't.

She thought about the letter she had received, as well as that crystal. She glanced down at the lightsaber hanging from her belt, which had been Malak's, but now it was hers. She wore it proudly, and she believed that the color of the blade suited her well. In some ways, brown seemed like an odd color for a lightsaber, but that's what she liked about it. It was different, and she was different. She and her weapon had something in common.

Now if only she could find out who had given her that crystal in the first place. Obviously, it was someone who knew who she was, and knew that she knew who she was. Then again, that described everyone in the enclave. People were still giving her long, rude stares and odd glances. She was tired of being polite, so she simply stared back, sometimes scowling at them. If they were going to be rude, then she could be rude. She would be leaving soon, and she no longer cared what they thought of her.

She finally decided to ignore everyone who came out of or entered the enclave. She proceeded to stare down at the ground again, and tried to think of who would have given her that crystal. Not Vrook, she thought, her mouth quirking with a mixture of annoyance and amusement. And probably not Dorak or Vandar. At least, I don't think so. Maybe Zhar... no, I've seen examples of his handwriting, and I don't think the note was his.

She sighed, shifting her weight. Her feet were starting to hurt from standing so much. But, her stubbornness won out, because she continued to stand there. She was also very patient when she needed to be, and she chose to stay out here, to show those foolish Masters that she could stand out here, doing nothing, just as long as they could stand in there, trying to come to an agreement.

Finally, the enclave door opened to reveal a group of people coming out. Carth and Bastila were in this group, accompanied by three Jedi. "We are ready to leave, Sarin," Bastila said. "The Council was chosen all of us to accompany you, and the ship is waiting for us."

Sarin groaned inwardly when she recognized one of them as Belaya. Wonderful. Just the person I wanted to travel with. She had grown used to the idea of traveling with Bastila by now, but she wasn't sure if she liked the idea of traveling with Belaya.

Sarin didn't recognize the last two people. One of them was... well, cat-like in appearance. The woman obviously wasn't human, having yellowish skin, intense golden eyes, and pointed ears. She didn't seem to have much hair, but what little she did have was rather thick, and it was tied in a ponytail on the back of her head.

Hold on, I think she's a Cathar, Sarin thought. Well, this should be interesting. The Cathar woman glanced at Sarin curiously, her eyes bright and animated with emotion. She looks like... she's afraid and awed at the same time, Sarin thought, staring back. I guess she's heard of me. Duh.

The Cathar looked away, and another emotion seemed to cross her features. She seemed sad, and angry. She turned to Belaya and they walked away, talking softly to each other. Belaya placed a gentle hand on the other woman's shoulder. She was obviously a good friend of the Cathar's, and she whispered something softly, then glanced back at Revan, glaring.

Sarin ignored her, but the expression on Belaya's face had registered. Almost looks like she blames me for something. She shrugged. She was going to travel with them, and that's all she cared right now. If they had any problem with her, then tough.

"I would like to speak with Revan, before we leave Dantooine," a voice said. Sarin turned and saw that it was a member of their group, a person whom she didn't recognize. She saw Bastila and Carth glance at each other, then Carth nodded and said, "We'll be waiting at the ship."

As soon as they left, the man turned to face Sarin. She squinted at him, trying to make out his features, but it was difficult because he was wearing a full Jedi robe, and he had the hood up. The robe was black in color, as black as any Sith robe, but while she sensed that this person might be a bit off, she did not sense the Dark Side in him, at all.

"Are you a master?" Sarin asked.

The man shook his head. "No, merely a Jedi Knight. I have no interest in becoming a master, to be completely honest. In fact, my only interest is helping you out on your quest."

"I see," Sarin said. "And who are you?"

"Someone who wants to make sure you complete your mission," the man replied. "Someone who wants to stop the Sith as badly as everyone else on this world. But, before we leave, I must ask that you be mindful of that Cathar's feelings."

"Oh? What do you mean?"

"Her name is Juhani, and her friend Belaya rescued her from the Grove. She had fallen to the Dark Side, but Belaya helped her return to the Light. Juhani is feeling... vulnerable, at the moment, and Belaya is a little over-protective of her. I think you should talk to both of them, and get to know them. That will make this journey much easier. In fact, try and get to know all those you travel with. Including me."

"I doubt they'd let me," Sarin grumbled.

"Just try talking to them. And, try to find time to talk to me." The man started to walk away.

Sarin sighed, then started to follow. "Okay, okay. If there's time on this journey, I'll try talking to them."

He nodded. "Excellent."

"But, who are you, anyway? You never said your name."

"Ask me again someday, and I might tell you. But... I assume you got my note?"

Sarin stared. "Your note? Do you mean this crystal-" She glanced down at her lightsaber.

The man nodded, then turned and walked away, quickening his pace, in the direction of the ship.

"Wait!" Sarin said, rushing after him. But he was a fast walker, and by the time she caught up with him, he was already boarding the ship. He found himself a seat and sat down, then proceeded to meditate. Sarin tried to speak to him again, but he did not answer her.

Muttering under her breath, Sarin went off and checked the cockpit. Carth and Bastila were there, powering up the ship. They acknowledged her presence, then they seemed to tune her out. She took the hint and left the cockpit, not really caring where Juhani or Belaya were at the moment. She just found herself a seat and sat down, thinking, This is going to be a long trip. She sighed deeply.

After a week of traveling through space, the shuttle was about to arrive at Manaan. Sarin Jast kept mostly to herself during the journey, but she had taken her mysterious friend's advice and tried to talk to the others. If she could really call him a friend. He had left her a note and his own lightsaber crystal in his quarters, that was it.

But, for the most part, she couldn't seem to get anywhere with anybody. Juhani seemed somewhat shy around her, and even when Sarin approached the Cathar, it seemed that Belaya was always nearby. Sarin was growing to despite the Jedi more and more, for it seemed that all that Belaya did was give her dirty looks and snap at her whenever she went near Juhani. And Juhani herself never said a word, and always seemed to keep to herself.

Sarin tried to talk to Carth, but he seemed to ignore her for the most part. That only left Bastila, the person whom Sarin wanted to stay away from the most. Well, not as much as she wanted to stay out of Belaya's path, but she still wasn't in any mood to speak to Bastila Shan.

And her mysterious "friend" wouldn't speak to her very much either. Whenever she approached him, he was always meditating, or he was reading, or he was eating. He never said a word to her, so she gave up. She became so frustrated with him that, by the third day, she chose to ignore him right back. She acted as though he wasn't there.

She was relieved when Carth announced that they were a mere five hours away from Manaan. This entire trip had been too quiet, and she was ready for a change of scenery. She had by no means forgotten about the importance of the mission, and the ever present danger, but she was eager to get on with this. She was getting very bored on the shuttle, and she was getting sick and tired of everyone keeping their eye on her.

Well, everyone except for the older Jedi who always kept to himself. He simply sat in his seat, never looking at anyone. Sarin did not know his name, and she had even asked Bastila. But for some reason, she seemed reluctant to speak, as if she perhaps she did not know either. Or maybe she knew something about him that she didn't want to mention.

Sarin's musings were interrupted when the shuttle shuddered violently. She knew instantly what was going on; they were under attack.

This was confirmed when Carth shouted from the cockpit, "Sith Fighters! Someone needs to man the turrets! I'll try to get us down safely!"

This shuttle had been installed with powerful laser turrets in case they ran into trouble, such as the trouble they were in now. Sarin immediately got up and left the room, heading toward the front of the shuttle. There were two rooms in the very back of the shuttle, each containing four bunks. The men shared one, the women shared the other. Yet it seemed that no one would go into the women's bedroom to rest, meditate, or sleep while Sarin was in there. And she hadn't missed the fact that there was always at least one person awake, someone "on guard".

She grunted at the thought as she rushed toward the turret controls. She was a fellow Jedi, and she was on this mission as well, wasn't she? Yet everyone was treating her like a criminal who had to be watched every two minutes. Well, in a way she was...

She arrived at the gun turrents, but Belaya suddenly appeared right next to her and shoved her out of the way. "I'll handle these Sith fighters," she snapped. "You get away from here. Return to the back of the shuttle."

"Fine, you can have 'em," Sarin muttered. "But I'm not returning to the crew quarters."

Belaya was about to retort, but she found herself to be too busy manning the turrents. Sarin simply stood there, staring at her, scrutinizing her every move. We'll see how she likes it for a change, Sarin thought. Indeed, it seemed to be having an effect on Belaya, perhaps because she didn't like being watched by Revan. She seemed to dislike having the former Sith Lord anywhere near her, especially when she was trying to concentrate on protecting the ship.

And Sarin would later regret staring at her out of spitefulness, for because of her distracted state, Belaya allowed a couple of the Sith fighters to do serious damage to the shuttle before she destroyed them. Before either of them realized what was going on, the hull was about to breach, and Carth was shouting for everyone to hang on, because it was going to be a rough landing.

Indeed they did have a rough landing. They actually crashed into the water near Ahto City, and nearly everyone was tossed around or shaken up pretty badly.

They knew that they needed to get out of the shuttle and get to the city, the only area of "dry land" where off-worlders were allowed to go. It was rumored that there were a few islands here and there, but there was mostly water covering the planet's surface. Either way, all that mattered was getting out of the water and into Ahto City. Then they would go from there.

Belaya was the first one out of the shuttle, and she was helping Juhani. Carth and Sarin came out of the shuttle next and gasped for air as they came up to the surface. The shuttle was completely underwater, several yards below the surface.

"Where's Bastila?" Carth gasped, choking. He coughed several times, then managed to find his voice again. "I don't see her!" He glanced about and saw Belaya and Juhani swimming toward Ahto City, where someone had already spotted the downed shuttle, and were throwing ropes down into the water to help them get to safety.

Sarin looked around. She couldn't see Bastila anywhere, nor could she see her mysterious "friend."

"Get to the city," Carth snapped. "I'll-"

"You look for Bastila," Sarin snapped back. "I'm going to look for... for whatever his name is." Before Carth could do more than open his mouth, she had already taken a deep breath and gone back underwater. He cursed softly under his breath, then dove after her.

They both arrived at the shuttle at the same time, and Sarin went through the open archway first. Carth let her, deciding that he wasn't going to turn his back on her for a second. Once she was all the way inside, he quickly followed her.

Both Bastila and the other Jedi were both unconscious and drowning within the shuttle. Carth cursed mentally. Everyone, including him, had been in such a hurry that they hadn't bothered to make sure the others were all right. He reached for Bastila, grabbing her by the shoulders, and began to pull her out.

Sarin, however, was having a more difficult time. It seemed that her mysterious friend was trapped underneath a piece of bulkhead had that had him pinned against the floor. She tried to move it, but she couldn't give enough momentum under water. She glanced in Carth's direction, but he was already out of the shuttle, presumably taking Bastila to the surface. She blew out her breath in frustration, then realized how stupid it was to do that. She caught herself just in time before she inhaled water.

Concentrating, she began to use the Force to move the piece of bulkhead, but a voice in her mind stopped her. It is too late for me, save yourself. Just take the datapad from my pocket, and you will know everything you need to know about me. He opened his eyes and looked at her, and the intense look in his eyes haunted her. Then his eyes glazed over and his head rolled to one side.

A moment later, his body faded, becoming one with the Force.

Sarin did nothing but stare for a long moment. Then she decided she had better get to the surface, but... she felt compelled to honor his last wish. She managed to tug his robe free from where it had been pinned, and she found the datapad within it. Thankfully, it was waterproof.

She felt her vision begin to blur, and she had to fight harder to resist the urge to inhale. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain within her, as if part of her was gone. It felt like part of her being-her soul had been ripped out of her, suddenly. All she felt was a dull ache within her, an absence of some sort. She began to move toward the archway, unsure if she would make it to the surface.

Then she heard a voice inside her mind. Use the Force to sustain you until you reach the surface. Sarin blinked, and realized that it was her mysterious friend. He was one with the Force now, yet he was with her, guiding her. She concentrated inwardly, and used the Force to sustain her, then found the energy to move toward the surface.

She gasped when her face came above the surface of the water, yet she didn't feel like she was starving for oxygen. The Force held her until she caught her breath. Then, clutching the datapad in her hand, she swam in the direction of Ahto City. When she was close enough, someone from above tossed a rope down to her, and she grabbed it, and began to climb.

Once her feet were on solid ground again, she let out a breath of relief. She looked around, and saw the others a few feet away, so she jogged over to them.

Carth, Belaya, and Juhani were kneeling beside Bastila, who lay there limply on the ground. It was obvious that Bastila was seriously injured, for there was blood covering the side of her face. Sarin saw a nasty gash between her temple and her left eye, from which the blood oozed. Only, she didn't seem to be bleeding anymore, and she didn't seem to be breathing.

Belaya touched Bastila's throat, feeling for a pulse, then she glanced from Juhani to Carth. She narrowed her eyes, then looked up at Sarin, her expression filled with darkness. "She's dead," the woman said, her voice packed with sorrow as well as accusation. Sarin knew that Belaya blamed her for Bastila's death.

"She's dead?" Sarin said, but realized it was indeed true. That's what I felt, down there in the water, she thought. That moment of pain and emptiness, the feeling that something inside her had vanished... She had shared a bond with Bastila, and she had felt Bastila die. Now all that remained of the bond was a painful echo and emptiness, where Bastila's presence had been.

"Yes," Carth said, his voice bitter. "and the Republic's only hope of defeating the Sith is dead with her."

"She should have stayed at the enclave," Juhani said, her gaze distant and unfocused. "We all knew that it was too dangerous to risk her-"

"It's all her fault!" Belaya shouted, jumping to her feet and pointing at Revan. "She-"

"Enough," Carth said firmly, his voice heavy with emotion. "There... there was nothing any of could have done. And if we stand around here, arguing, we won't get our mission accomplished. The Sith must be stopped, and..." His voice broke. He was looking at Revan, his eyes flashing with anger.

Sarin wasn't sure what to say, or if she could say anything. This is my fault, she thought. If I hadn't distracted Belaya while she was manning the turrets...

She glanced away. She couldn't bear to look at the anger and pain on their faces. She also needed a momentary distraction as their piercing gazes continued to penetrate her, so she hauled the datapad out of her pocket and looked at it. She turned it on, and discovered that it was a journal.

Then she saw his name.

"What's that?" Carth asked distractedly.

Sarin glanced up. "It... belonged to..."

Carth's mouth tightened into a thin line. "He didn't make it either, did he?" He sighed. "I didn't even know his name," he murmured.

"I know his name, now," Sarin said softly. "His name was Zayne."


	4. Chapter 4

Revan-Sarin Jast-sat alone in the cantina of Ahto City. It was a large city, full of life and activity, yet she was stuck there, in the cantina, with nothing to do but drown in her sorrows and read Zayne's journel. She was reading about the adventures of a man she'd never really gotten to know, and yet as she read his writing, it seemed as though the words on the pages were speaking to her.

Shortly after their arrival, they had found the Republic Embassy within Ahto City. Carth and Juhani had gone ahead to speak with the Republic Ambassador, and Belaya remained behind to "watch" Revan.

Sarin had insisted that, if they were just going to wait around while Carth talked to the Republic Ambassador about getting a shuttle and asking about old ruins and such, they may as well wait in the local Cantina. Belaya had agreed, and they went there together. Belaya stood positioned near the Cantina's only exit, never taking her eyes off Revan.

The former Sith Lord ignored the Jedi, and ordered herself a drink.

When she had first left Dantooine, the mission had been unbearable. No one would talk to her, and it was obvious that no one wanted her there at all. She was simply another mouth to feed, and a presence that had to be endured. No one liked the idea of a former Sith Lord in their midst.

Ever since the deaths of Zayne and Bastila, she had felt even more alone. She still felt the dull ache within her where Bastila's presence used to be... She gulped back a sob. She felt that, with their deaths, she had lost the only two people who really understood her.

And here I am, reading about a man who is now dead, she thought. His thoughts, his feelings... his soul are all here, in this book.

She tried to continue reading, but she felt the tears forming in her eyes, and it blurred her vision. She wiped at her eyes impatiently, but the tears kept coming. She felt alone, angry, hurt... used.

She slammed the book shut, allowing her emotions to erupt from her in a sob. She buried her head in her arms atop the table, her shoulders shaking as she wept. Time seemed to stand still as she let her despair, anger, and indignation overwhelm her. It seemed to fill the empty presence inside her where Bastila had been, and it seemed to tear her soul apart.

She felt a gentle hand touching her shoulder, and she looked up to see who it was. She squinted through her tears, and realized that it was... Belaya?

Almost immediately, Belaya yanked her hand back, as though she had touched something diseased. But then her expression softened a bit, and she said, "I'm sorry... this has been very hard on all of us." She stood there for a moment, looking at Revan, then she quietly walked around to the opposite side of the table and sat down.

Sarin stared. Her vision had cleared a little, and she realized she was no longer crying.

Belaya folded her hands atop her desk, staring down at them. "I think it's about time that we... talked," she said slowly. She paused, and when Revan-Sarin-said nothing, she continued. "I have been thinking about... our mission. And of our... fallen comrades."

"So you still blame me." Sarin stated matter-of-factly.

Belaya sighed. "Revan, let me be honest. Ever since I first heard that it was you who came to Dantooine, I... I hated you." She stopped and inhaled loudly. Obviously that confession had taken a great deal of effort to get out. After several seconds passed, she continued. "And when the Council told me that I should accompany you, I was very angry at them for it, because I had no desire to travel with you. Yet at the same time, I knew that I could use this as an opportunity to keep an eye on you, to make sure you don't slip back to the Dark Side."

"And you would have the chance to kill me, if I started to slip back," Sarin stated icily.

Belaya's features went absolutely pale, and Sarin instantly regretted her words. Belaya pressed her lips into a thin line, and nodded slightly. "Yes," she said in a barely audible whisper. She opened her mouth, then closed it again. However, Sarin knew what she had been about to say, because she sensed her thoughts. She's always had difficultly controlling her emotions, Sarin realized.

When Belaya found her voice she continued, and her voice was fairly even again. "And that... that is what shames me the most. To think that I was the one who went to the ancient Grove and redeemed Juhani..." She swallowed. "I was very happy for her when she chose to return to the enclave, to face up to what she had done. Or rather, what she had thought she had done, and I felt like I had accomplished something wonderful. One of our own had strayed, and I had helped her return to the Light."

"So she fell to the Dark Side," Sarin said slowly. "And you redeemed her."

"Yes," Belaya said, sighing. "Just as the Council chose to redeem you, to give you a second chance."

"Except in my case, they made me forget who I was." Sarin said. Belaya opened her mouth to speak, but Sarin held up a hand before she could interject. "I spoke with Bastila before we left Dantooine, and she made me think about a lot of things. About what the Jedi Council did to me, about me being Revan, and..." She trailed off thoughtfully.

"And?" Belaya prodded when the woman across from her felt silent.

"And, I've come to conclusion that they had no choice," Sarin said finally. Her voice was peaceful, and forgiving. "I had become their enemy. When Bastila saved my life, they chose to be merciful and give me another chance at life, as someone else, because... Revan was too dangerous. But they also needed my help in finding the Star Forge, which is the key behind the Sith Empire's success in this war." She snorted, shaking her head thoughtfully. "If I was still the Dark Lord of the Sith, and if I had captured a Jedi with knowledge I needed... I would probably have done something very similar. The only difference is that I would not have shown any mercy. Back then... I would have simply ripped the information from my captive's mind."

Belaya shifted uncomfortably in her seat, but said nothing for a moment.

Sarin noticed her discomfort, then said, "I'm only saying that that is what I would have done back them. But I'm not the same person anymore."

The other woman nodded, then seemed to relax a bit. "Revan-Sarin," she said, "I have something else to confess as well."

"Yes?"

There was a moment of awkward silence while Belaya seemed to collect her thoughts, then she finally continued. "It is my fault that Zayne and Bastila are dead," she stated. Her voice trembled slightly. She shook her head, preventing Sarin from speaking. "Just let me finish. It's my fault that they are dead because I was too busy hating you, and watching you, when I should have been manning the turrents. Or if I hadn't hated you so much, I probably would have let you man the turrets when we were attacked. Instead, I couldn't defend the ship properly, and that was the reason we crashed. I kept blaming you for it, but... their deaths are my responsibility, not yours."

Silence fell between them. Sarin's face remained expressionless, and it was obvious that she was not about to respond. After some time, Belaya realized that she wasn't going to say anything. Sarin was struggling with many issues right now, but she had a very rational mind. And it was obvious that she had simply accepted what Belaya had said.

Finally, the former Sith Lord broke the silence. "What's done is done," she said evenly. "I think we should just focus on our mission. We can deal with our grief later. Besides," she added, "I think Bastila and Zayne would want us to be working together."

Belaya nodded. "Well," she said after a moment's pause, "it seems that you did manage to cripple the Sith, at least temporarily. You did manage to kill Malak, when you and Carth were 'captured' and brought aboard the Leviathan. Now that I think about it, I think that was a very clever plan. I am a bit surprised, however, that Malak did not sense your presence."

Sarin's mouth quirked. "I believe he did, when it was already too late," she said. "I killed Malak and rescued Bastila, and Carth killed Saul Karath, an admiral who betrayed the Republic. Then we got off the Leviathan and headed for Dantooine. And of course, you know the rest."

Belaya inclined her head. "Bastila's death was a great blow to the Republic," she said slowly. "Her Battle Meditation would have..." She narrowed her eyes, and her voice turned angry. "The Council was foolish to send her on this mission. They should have known-" She stopped, burying her face in her hands. "I'm sorry... it is my fault. The Council isn't to blame, I am."

Sarin reached out and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "We'll survive, we must," she said. "We will find the rest of these Star Maps, and then we will locate the Star Forge."

"Yes," Belaya agreed. "And then, hopefully this war will be over."

Sarin's eyes went absolutely cold. "No, it will not be over," she said firmly.

Belaya stared at her, feeling a chill go up and down her spin. There was something about Sarin's eyes... it was as if she remembered something... "What do you mean?" she asked, keeping her own voice even with effort.

"I mean that there is something else out there," Sarin said slowly, her gaze distant, almost unfocused. "I remember, vaguely, something that I had done. I discovered many things the day Malak and I found the Star Forge. But I can't remember it all... when we find the Star Forge again, I will try to find clues as to what I discovered. All that I know is that it was something in the Unknown Regions, something... dangerous."

The Republic Embassy consisted of a main area where Ambassador Roland Wann stood behind a desk, plus there were two other rooms. One room had two occupied force-cages, one holding a shady Rodian, the other holding a dark-skinned human male. The second room was where the computer was located, along with two consoles.

Ambassador Wann seemed pleased to meet Carth, the well-known veteran from the Mandalore Wars, and Juhani, the Jedi padawan. He said that he was pleased to have them there, and if they needed help, he would be willing to do what he could-in exchange for some assistance.

"So, do you know anything about a Star Map that may be here?" Carth asked, sounding a bit impatient. He did not like the idea of Revan being left alone somewhere in Ahto City, even if Belaya was keeping an eye on her. For all the good that does, Carth thought. If Revan really wants too, she could probably kill Belaya in an instant.

"I may know something," Roland said, "and I could help you get to it. But you need to do something for me first."

Carth sighed. "Such as?" he asked wearily.

He only half-listened as Roland Wann began to talk about a droid that they were using to collect data about the Sith's activities, which had been damaged. The Sith had apparently picked it up and taken it into the Sith Embassy to analyze it. Before the ambassador even finished, Carth broke in, "So you want us to somehow get into the Sith Base and get your droid back for you, correct?"

"Actually all we would really need is the data module," Roland said. "It is very important that we get that data back before the Sith have a chance to analyze it."

"Well, I can understand that," Carth sighed in resignation. "So, how do you propose we go about getting it? I wouldn't go so far as to assume the Sith would just let us walk into their base."

"You're correct," the ambassador said. "There are three ways in which you can get in..."

"Are you sure about this?" Sarin Jast said to Carth as they made their way toward the docking section of the City.

Carth was watching her out of the corner of his eye, but he did not look at her directly. "Yes," he said briskly. "This is the way we're going to do it." Ever since Bastila's death, he had more or less taken charge of the mission.

"I told you that I could take a crack at decrypting the-"

"I know, and as I've already told you, we are going to do it this way," Carth snapped.

"And why is that?" Sarin demanded, her nostrils flaring.

"Because it's obvious that we weren't going to get any useful information out of the prisoner, and it would probably take too long to decrypt the passcard. Time is of the essence, and we're going to get in using the way that we can be sure we'll get in."

"You didn't even bother to let me try." Sarin miffed. "I could have probably decrypted that passcard quickly enough. I've always been skilled at computers-"

"I'm sure that you have excellent computer skills!" Carth barked. "But we are going to get into the Sith Base this way. End of discussion."

"Keep your voices down," Juhani's accented voice said quietly. This was the first time she had spoken since they arrived on Manaan. "We are nearly at the docking section, and we do not need to draw attention to ourselves."

Carth sighed. "I agree," he said. He looked at Sarin a moment longer, almost as though he were about to apologize, but then he turned and started walking again.

I guess it'll take a bit more time to mend my fences with him, Sarin thought as she, Juhani and Belaya followed him.

Roland Wann paced restlessly, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. He had just received word that four people had broken into the Sith Embassy, and they had been detained when they tried to leave.

He sighed, and noticed that the guards and other personnel were staring at him with concern. He gave them a quick reassuring smile, and then he went back behind his desk.

I should have known something like this would happen, he thought. Now we may never get that data module, and four innocent people may be imprisoned-or worse-all because of me. He pulled out his chair and sat down, placing his hands on the desk before him. Of course I should have known that the Selkath authorities would keep a careful watch on things, and would be alarmed when they lost contact with the Sith Base.

But what else could he have done? He could not risk the men of the Republic Embassy on such a daring mission. Three of the people he'd sent were Jedi, and the fourth was an experienced Republic soldier. He'd thought that...

That what? That they could get in, grab the module and get out again without the Sith batting an eye? He sighed at his own thoughts. Any intelligent person would know that a mission couldn't go that smoothly, no matter how skilled the Jedi were.

Just then, a light tap on the shoulder interrupted his thoughts. "Oh, yes?" he said, straightening in his seat. "Sorry, I was a little distracted. What is it?"

It was Lieutenant Fredrick, a bright young man with a lot of potential. His short blonde hair was completely hidden under the Republic helmet he wore, and his uniform was spotless and unwrinkled. Even his boots were polished and unscuffed. Somehow this young man always had the appearance of a very competent officer, the kind who could make his peers feel inferior or even envious. That is, until they got to know him. He was a kind young man, but he was often late for his duty shift, and sometimes he would forget about the errands he was supposed to run, such as purchasing a piece of equipment from one of the local stores.

Sort of like the time the door to the computer room got stuck and he volunteered to get the supplies needed to fix it, Roland thought, his mouth twitching slightly. He got sidetracked at the cantina and started flirting with one of the female Sith officers. He completely forgot what he left the Embassy to get in the first place.

Fredrick raised his hand in a clumsy gesture that looked like something between a wave and a salute. "I came here to let you know that the Selkath authorities have found Captain Onasi and the three Jedi innocent," he said.

Ambassador Wann blinked. "They found them innocent?" he said. "How? What happened?"

"Well sir, the way I understand it," Fredrick began, in that overly cheerful way that made Roland roll his eyes, "they found some missing Selkath youth within the Sith Base, along with a datapad. You see, this datapad is what convinced the judges in the courtroom to let Captain Onasi and the others go! In fact, if they hadn't found that datapad, the Sith would have taken over Manaan!"

"Lieutenant," Roland said, rubbing his temples wearily, "just tell me what was on the datapad, please." Sometimes Fredrick had the annoying habit of going on and on with useless words, rather than getting to the point.

"The Sith were trying to corrupt Manaan's youth," Fredrick said cheerfully, with that stupid, toothy grin he wore whenever he was excited. "And so-"

"Ah, I see," Roland Wann cut in. "So in other words, our friends uncovered a Sith scheme while they were in the Base." He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I'm sure the Selkath were very interested to learn about this," he mused.

"Oh, they were, Sir!" Fredrick nodded so hard that Roland wondered if his helmet would fly off.

"Well, I guess all that we need to do is wait until they get here, then," Wann said. "If I know the Selkath authorities as well as I think I do, they're going to have a lot of paperwork to fill out before they can leave the courtroom."

Roughly five hours later, the small entourage consisting of Carth, Sarin Jast, Juhani and Belaya entered the Republic Embassy. They looked a bit tired, but otherwise they seemed to be in good spirits.

Carth approached Roland's desk, handing him the data module. "All right, here it is," he said. "Now, would you mind telling us what you know about the ruins you mentioned earlier?" His voice sounded slightly drained, his patience was obviously wearing thin.

I'm not surprised, Roland thought. Whenever there's an incident that threatens Manaan's neutrality, the Selkath want everyone involved to tell their perspective on what happened, and to dot all their I's and cross all their T's.

He took a deep breath, thinking about what he was going to say before he actually began speaking. These people were on a mission for the Jedi Council, and although he did not know the details, he'd assumed that it was very important. And they had just assisted both the Republic and all of Manaan by breaking into the Sith Base.

I should tell them everything, they deserve to know. And they have more than proven themselves, Roland thought. I need their help, and they need mine...

"Fredrick," he said, "get these people some chairs, please."

Fredrick blinked, then went to do as he was told.

"That won't be necessary," Carth said.

"Yes it is," Roland said. "You people look drained, and we have a lot to talk about. So let's be comfortable while we talk, shall we?"

"I still cannot believe it," Carth muttered as he, Juhani, Belaya and Sarin Jast headed down the corridor toward a locked door. Ambassador Wann had given him a passcard that would permit them to enter the room beyond, and he clutched it tightly in his right hand. "How could the Republic violate a Treaty like this?"

Roland Wann had told them about their operations near a Rift located deep beneath the surface of the ocean. This Rift apparently held the location of Manaan's source of Kolto, the key to the planet's neutrality. It was a natural healing fluid that both the Sith Empire and the Republic needed due to the war between them, and this world was the only planet where it existed. Several attempts had been made to replicate it, but all attempts have failed.

The Selkath had used this to their advantage by offering both sides an equal share of Kolto, so long as neither side did anything to threaten their neutrality. If the Republic or the Sith made any moves they didn't like, they would destroy the source of Kolto and and then the Selkath would vanish into the depths of their ocean.

"It is a violation of a treaty," Belaya replied to Carth's question. "But after what we found in the Sith Base-that datapad showing how the Sith were trying to corrupt Manaan's youth-somehow it doesn't surprise me that the Republic would also go behind the backs of Manaan's leaders." Carth opened his mouth to retort, but she cut himself before he could speak. "I'm only saying that the Republic has been at war for a long time now. First the Mandalorian War, now the Jedi Civil War. Sometimes hard times call for desperate measures."

"We should just focus on our mission," Juhani said quietly.

"I agree," Sarin said. "Our job is to go down there to the base they've built and find out why they've lost contact with it. And while we're down there, we can see if we can find a Star Map."

They didn't have much information to go on. Just that some of Manaan's officials had agreed to let the Republic set up an underwater base and a harvesting machine near the Rift where the Kolto was located. Roland Wann had explained that Kolto developed on the ocean's floor and bubbled up to the surface where it could be collected. But the harvesting machine made the gathering of Kolto much easier and much more productive because it could gather it up from its natural source. That meant they could gather a lot more of it, and each harvest was much richer than what they could gather from the surface.

But by allowing the Republic to build that base and install that harvesting machine, some of Manaan's authorities were going behind the backs of the Sith Empire-and some of their own superiors. So this was going to be a very hush-hush mission.

They had arrived at the end of the hall by now and Carth inserted the passcard into the door. Once it opened, the small group walked into the larger room beyond. They each looked around, observing their surroundings, and they noticed that the room was empty except for a submersible resting on the surface of what appeared to be a flooded floor. Except they knew this room wasn't flooded; it was merely an exit leading into the vast ocean of Manaan.

"Ladies first," Carth said, gesturing at the hatch of the vehicle. He did it partly out of politeness, and partly because he wasn't going to turn his back on anyone. He still refused to trust anyone, especially in light of all that has happened. The Jedi Council had obviously been sneaky enough to go behind the Republic's back, sparing Revan's life when they should have killed her. And he wasn't about to forget that.

And yet, even as he looked at her now, as she walked by him to go aboard the vehicle, he felt himself struggling with an inner conflict. He thought of when he'd first seen her on the Endar Spire, and when he had saved her from the wreckage of the shuttle when they crashed on Taris. They had worked together as a team then, and even after they both discovered who she really was, they had still worked together to save Bastila from Malak. Even though he'd wanted nothing more than to kill her, or to see her brought to justice somehow...

But when he killed Saul, and when Revan killed Malak... two of the people he had hated most were gone. He'd killed Saul himself, and he had avenged his homeworld, his wife, and his son. Ever since his wife died, the only thing that kept him going was the need to kill Saul, to make the monster pay for taking everything that mattered away from him. He'd thought that, once Saul was dead, he would feel at peace. Perhaps he wasn't even expecting to survive the battle with Saul... maybe he'd figured that, if he could choose how he was going to die in this war, he would die while killing Saul. Because that was the only thing driving him on, keeping him going with life...

...other than the Republic. It still existed, and it was in danger. He was a soldier, and he still had his duty. And you're not helping the Republic any by standing around trying to figure out what you're going to do next with your life, he told himself firmly. He suddenly realized that the others were waiting for him aboard the submersible, so he quickly pulled himself together and went aboard.

"Do you want to take the controls, or shall I?" Sarin asked. Belaya and Juhani were already seated and strapped in, but she had been waiting just inside the hatchway.

"I'll take the controls," Carth said, already sliding into the seat. As he grasped the controls and began to ignite the engine, he blinked. He realized that he had just thought of her as Sarin, not Revan.

He shook his head at himself, then proceeded to get the submersible moving.

They proceeded into the depths of the ocean, and Carth kept a careful eye on the sensors. They did not know what to expect, after all. The coordinates of the base were programmed into the machine's computer, but he chose to do everything manually.

The trek through the enormous ocean continued in silence as everyone sat in their seats quietly. Carth focused only on piloting the vehicle, and each of the Jedi were either meditating quietly or staring out of one of the windows.

"We should be there in about 15 minutes," Carth finally said. No one answered him.

The stony silence resumed until Carth noticed a flashing light on the console before him. He looked at it, and he blinked. "Oh no," he said, his voice grim.

The others looked at him with concern. "What?" Sarin said. "What's wrong?"

Roland Wann finally finished all of the paperwork he needed to do for the week, and he was just about to leave his desk to take a much-deserved break when Fredrick approached him. The Ambassador stopped himself just in time from rolling his eyes. He wanted a few minutes to relax, and somehow it was always difficult to relax with him around.

Right at that moment, Roland noticed that Fredrick was looking nervous, and a bit pale. The younger man's hands were trembling slightly. Oh no... Roland thought. What happened now?

"Is everything all right, Lieutenant?" he asked in what he hoped was a calm tone.

Fredrick started wringing his hands together, and then his mouth started moving, but no sound came out.

"Fredrick," Roland said firmly, "tell me what's happened. Now."

Fredrick swallowed. "R-remember you told me to check with Crewman Hawkson about the submersible?" he stammered.

Roland closed his eyes, sighing. Hawkson was the man in charge of general maintenance, including the main computer, the force cages... and the submersible. "Fredrick, don't tell me you forgot to check with Hawkson," he growled. I should have just checked with the man myself...

"Actually, I didn't forget," Fredrick said quickly. "He just wasn't here. But I forgot to tell you that I needed to check with him when he got back. By the time he got here... Captain Onasi and the others were already gone. So I checked with him a few minutes ago, and..." He trailed off.

"And what?" Roland said, coming very close to losing his what little patience he had left.

Fredrick gulped. "Hawkson said that he never got the chance to refuel the submersible because he had to tend to the mainframe when it crashed this morning. He told me that they will probably have just enough fuel to get to the base, but they won't be able to get back."

"Fredrick..." Roland smacked the palm of his hand against his desk in frustation, but forced himself to calm down. He took several deep breaths, then he rose from his chair and placed his hands on his hips. "So," he stated matter-of-factly, "they went down there not knowing that they won't have enough fuel to return here. We don't have another submersible, and since we've lost communication with the base, we have no way of contacting them." He shook his head and sank down into his chair.

"Wonderful."

"Wonderful, just wonderful," Carth muttered as he leaned over the engine of the submersible.

The submersible had had just barely enough fuel to get them to the underwater Base. How could the Republic ambassador send them down on a dangerous mission without having someone make certain there was enough fuel? Thanks to their incompetence, they would not be able to return to Ahto City. Not unless they could find some more fuel down here.

"There's no fuel left at all?" Sarin asked. She was standing just behind him, her arms folded across her chest.

"Oh there's still a little bit of fuel," Carth said with a sigh. "But only a small amount. It'll probably evaporate by the time we get finished with our business down here."

"Ah, I see," Sarin said. She brushed some stray strands of hair out of her face. Her hair was normally swept back into a neat ponytail, but lately it seemed to have a mind of its own. I'm not surprised, considering all we've been through, she thought as she tried to readjust the clip that pinned her hair back. Of course, this wasn't the best time to be thinking about her hair. The fact was, they were in trouble right now, and the empty fuel tank crisis would still exist whether her hair was behaving or not.

"Any ideas?" Belaya asked, walking toward them. She and Juhani had been scouting the room while Carth and Sarin checked over the vehicle. It seemed that Belaya was satisfied that the room they were in was secure, but Juhani looked a bit uneasy. She stayed close to Belaya, her golden eyes darting about the room.

I wonder what's up with her? Sarin thought distractedly. Ever since they'd left Dantooine, the Cathar woman had been very quiet. Though it seemed that she would often stare at Sarin, studying her intently, whenever she thought Sarin wasn't looking. Maybe she still isn't too comfortable with the idea of me being Revan, Sarin thought.

Sarin pushed those thoughts aside and turned back to Carth. "Well, we're wasting time standing around here," she said briskly.

"I agree," Belaya said. "We should get on with our mission. And maybe we'll be fortunate enough to find some fuel," she shrugged.

"Maybe," Carth said with a sigh. "Let's just get going."

The door to the next room, or whatever lay beyond, was sealed. Sarin stepped forward and used her security skills to break the seal, and the door opened quickly, revealing a green-skinned Twi'lek. His entire body trembled as though a rancor was coming to eat him.

"W-what's this?" he stammered, his voice trembling. "W-were you s-sent here b-b-b-b-" He trailed off stammering, unable to complete his sentence.

"We were sent here by the Republic," Sarin nodded, offering a reassuring smile.

"Can you tell us what happened down here?" Carth asked, trying to keep his tone calm and reasonable.

The Twi'lek seemed to calm down a bit. "I was sent down here with a team of scientists too-AAAUGGGHH!" He suddenly screamed and doubled over, clutching at his temples. "Make it stop!" he yelled.

"What the-" Carth began, but he too was overcome by the sound-or sensation, or whatever it was. It was a like hearing a deafening, frightful scream, but this was different because he seemed to be hearing it inside his head. He instinctively put his hands over his ears, but of course that did no good whatsoever.

Sarin gritted her teeth, squeezing her eyes shut, and focused on the Force. She had no idea where the scream was coming from, but she knew she needed to fight it. It was very intense, causing both mental and physical pain. It was almost maddening. But she had the mental discipline of the Jedi to rely on, so she worked on blocking the sound out, even as she collapsed on the floor.

The seconds ticked by, though they seemed like hours. But she finally managed to block the telepathic scream from her mind, then she slowly reached out, attempting to form a protective mental barrier around her companions.

Finally, there was silence. The screams could still be heard, but they sounded distant and muffled now. Sarin winced and slowly pushed herself up onto her hands and knees, groaning softly. I'm going to have to keep this mental barrier up while we're done here, if any of us are going to keep our sanity, she thought. She sighed, and got to her feet. It was going to take a lot of effort and concentration to maintain the mental barrier, but she had no choice. Perhaps Juhani, Belaya and I can each take turns doing it, she thought.

It was right at that moment when she heard a soft gasp behind her. She turned and saw Belaya kneeling next to Juhani's limp form, feeling the Cathar woman's neck for a pulse. Sarin rushed over to Juhani and knelt down beside her, too. "Juhani," Belaya whispered, brushing the Cathar's thick hair out of her golden-yellow eyes. "No..."

Sarin glanced up sharply, looking into Belaya's eyes. "She can't be-" Sarin stopped. She knew that it was true, because she sensed that Juhani's heart had stopped, and her lungs no longer inhaled or exhaled air.

"How could-" Sarin's voice caught in her throat. How could she have died? The rest of us are all right... Carth was now standing just behind Belaya, grimly looking down at Juhani's still form.

"She sacrificed herself to save us," Belaya said, her voice emotionless. "She used herself to take the brunt of the telepathic screams so that we would have a chance to fight its effects... and she succeeded. But it destroyed her mind, and her body just couldn't take the intensity..."

Belaya took Juhani's limp hand and cupped it in her own hands. "She was... like a sister to me," she said hesitantly.

Sarin blinked. "You shared a bond with her, didn't you?" she prodded gently.

Belaya glanced up sharply, then nodded slowly. "Yes, we did..." She swallowed. Carth was looking at them with a slightly puzzled expression, but she ignored him. "I wasn't even sure how it developed. We just got along like sisters, and we even argued like sisters sometimes. Before either of us realized what was happening, I found that I could sense her thoughts... and she could sense mine."

"Did this bond form before she embraced the Dark Side, or after?" Sarin asked gently. She sighed and shook her head. That was probably the most insensitive thing to say under the current circumstances.

"After," Belaya said, and seemed to surprise even herself. "Something... seemed to happen between us after I convinced her to return to the Enclave. It's like she finally accepted me as a true friend after I helped her to turn away from the Dark Side. It's like... she knew that she could trust me." Belaya sighed softly. "I cannot blame her for never trusting anyone at the Enclave... we all accepted her of course, but after her life on Taris, it's no wonder she had such a difficult time trusting anyone. She told me, just before we left Dantooine, that I was the first true friend she had ever known." She blinked, her face twisting slightly. It was obvious that she was trying to hold back her tears.

Sarin reached out, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, and a moment of empathy passed between them... and then Carth cleared his throat behind them.

"We can't let Juhani's sacrifice be in vain," he said softly. "We need to get moving, and we need to try and find some fuel to get back to the surface, at least."

Sarin nodded, then she slowly rose to her feet, and then helped Belaya up. "I'll... put her body in the submersible," Belaya said, already moving. Sarin nodded, then turned to face Carth.

Then she spotted the Twi'lek lying on the floor, motionless.

"He's dead," Carth said simply, his voice very quiet.

Sarin inhaled deeply, and let her breath out slowly. "I'll put his body in the submersible," Carth said gently. "You wait here."

Sarin's only reply was a small nod. She stood there with her back turned toward the submersible, using her concentration to block out the mental screams. A few moments later, Carth and Belaya came out of the vehicle and walked up to her. She sensed their approach, but she did not turn to look at them. "Let's get going," she said in a barely audible whisper.

At first, it almost seemed as though the base had been abandoned, but as they began to explore it, they found the bodies of Republic scientists, officers, and mercenaries. All of them were dead, and it seemed they had all died because of the same telepathic screams that had killed Juhani. And yet some of the bodies looked as though they had been... partially eaten.

"What in the name of the Force went on down here?" Belaya said at one point. By this time all three of them were starting to feel anxious, and they could still distantly hear the telepathic screams, even though both of the Jedi were combining their Force-energy to block it. And they were still dealing with the shock of Juhani's death...

"I wish I knew," Sarin answered quietly.

"From what we've seen," Carth chimed in, "none of the equipment down here has been damaged. I checked that computer console we saw back there, and it said that the main computer, as well as the main generator, are fine. It seems that whatever happened, it only affected the people stationed down here."

"Then would we be able to contact the surface at least?" Belaya asked.

"If we can find a communications console, then yes, I think we should try," Carth said.

With that, the three of them explored the base until they found a small room with a sealed door. Sarin took out her lightsaber and activated the bright, brown blade. Then sliced through the door, and it clicked, then opened...

A loud noise greeted them as the twin doors slid apart, and a figure leapt at them in blinding speed. It snarled like an animal, and for a moment none of them were quite sure what it was. Belaya's lightsaber activated in a snap-hiss, and Carth immediately took his blaster from his belt, ready to fire.

For no reason at all, the creature leapt at Sarin, its teeth going for her throat, but she had already brought up her lightsaber. When it tried to leap on her, it encountered the blade, jumping right into it. It let out a final howl, its teeth tearing a bit of skin off of Sarin's jaw, then it collapsed at her feet.

Sarin panted, regaining her balance, her eyes wide with surprise. She fingered the minor injury on her chin, then shut off her lightsaber. She stared down at the dead creature, then shook her head in disbelief. "This... he is a Selkath!" she exclaimed. She knelt down next to him as the others stared with shock and disbelief.

"But why would he attack us?" Carth asked, his brow furrowing in puzzlement.

"Could it be that he was driven mad by the telepathic screams?" Belaya asked.

"Maybe," Carth mused. "It would explain why all of the men in this base are dead."

"In that case," Sarin said, rising from the floor, "it would seem that the screams have a different effect on the Selkath. Though that would make sense, considering they are natives of this world, while the rest of us are not."

Fredrick was staring down at the floor, hands clasped behind his back, scuffing his shoe like a little schoolboy who was being scolded by Daddy for shoving one of his classmates off the monkey bars during recess.

For the past hour, Roland Wann had been giving him a lecture about how a disciplined Republic officer would do their work, and that Fredrick either needed to get his act together, or he would have his rank removed and be relieved of duty, permanently.

"I'm sorry, Sir," Fredrick said for the hundredth time. "I promise I'll try to do better-"

"Try?" Roland barked. "You won't try. You will either do better, or you will be stripped of rank. End of discussion." He sighed and sat down behind his desk. All during the lecture he had been standing, his hands grasping the edge of his desk tightly. Now his fingers hurt, his throat felt a little sore, and several of the guards and officers passing by were glancing in his direction. He ignored them.

"Now Fredrick," Roland said slowly and quietly, "I am going to take you off of your current duties. I want you to go to the hanger in Ahto City, and help them load the kolto shipments onto the cargo ships."

Fredrick's eyes grew wide as the man's words sunk in. "Y-you mean you want me to do grunt work?" he swallowed.

"I'm sorry, Fredrick, but until you can prove yourself as a more capable officer, I can't afford to have you working here in the Embassy," Roland said. "Do good work in the docks, and perhaps-"

He was interrupted by the voice of Officer Lanora. He hadn't even noticed her coming, though her tone of voice was urgent. "Sir, we're receiving communication from the Base down in the Rift!"

Roland rose from his seat abruptly. "We are?" he said, both surprised and relieved. That was the best news he had heard all day. He rushed into the nearby room where the communication's console was located. Lanora and Fredrick went with him, though they stayed out of his way. "This is Roland Wann," he said. "Who is this?"

"This is Carth Onasi," came the familiar voice of the Republic Captain.

"Carth!" Roland exclaimed. "It's so good to hear from you! Are you all right down there? What happened?"

Carth told him a summary of everything that had happened, and it saddened the Ambassador greatly. "Well, I don't know what to say," Roland said. "I'm... sorry to hear about your friend's death. She... seemed to be a very charming young woman." He paused for a moment, frowning slightly. Those words had sounded hollow to his ears.

When Carth didn't reply, he continued. "As for the fuel problem, I certainly hope that you will be able to find some down there. I have been having problems with an incompetent officer here," he saw Fredrick grimace out of the corner of his eye, but ignored the Lieutenant, "and he was in charge of checking with maintenance to make certain the submersible was ready to go." He sighed.

"Well," Carth said, his voice sounding drained, "We'll keep an eye out for fuel down here."

"May the Force be with you as you try to locate some," Roland said, his own voice sounding equally drained to his own ears. "Tell me something, Carth... what else do you know about these, ah, 'telepathic screams'? I know you said that they've apparently driven the Selkath insane, and killed everyone else down there, but do you have any idea where its source is coming from?"

"No idea," Carth answered. "But we may have a way of finding out. I don't like it, but we don't have any other options."

"What do you mean?" Roland asked, certain that he wasn't going to like the answer.

"As you know, my... companions are Jedi," Carth began. "Sarin Jast is going to try and communicate telepathically with whatever killed everyone down here."

Roland swallowed. "But if it killed Juhani with its screams-"

"I know," Carth cut in grimly. "But she says she wants to give it a try. And I can't seem to talk her out of it. She is... very stubborn." His mouth widened into a small, sad smile, almost as though Sarin's stubborness reminded him of something, or perhaps someone he once knew. But the smile vanished quickly. "Belaya is going to be monitering things carefully, and at the first sign of trouble, she's going to attempt to shield Sarin's mind and cut her off from the source. But, we're hoping that Sarin can somehow contact whatever creature is making these screams, and reason with it... or at least find out why its screaming."

Roland remained silent for a long moment, then said the only thing he could think to say. "Well... good luck. And... May the Force be with you and protect you all."

Sarin Jast slowly knelt down on the floor and clasped her hands together in front of her, then closed her eyes. She was just outside the room where the communication's console was located, and Belaya was standing right behind her. Carth was standing near the console, in a position where he could stay out of their way and observe what they were doing at the same time.

Sarin called upon every Jedi discipline she had ever learned. She summoned the power of the Force to flow through and around her, and her skin began to glow softly. Of course, since she had her eyes closed, she felt it more than saw it.

As she slowly and cautiously opened her mind, the first thing she sensed were Belaya's thoughts. She sensed Belaya's confidence in her, and she smiled slightly. But when her mind brushed Carth's thoughts and feelings, she found herself momentarily distracted by them. She saw herself through his eyes, and she sensed his perception of her. He still didn't trust her, and he was still struggling with a feeling a hatred toward her, for all the terrible things she had done. And yet, there was another feeling there, beneath the surface. He had grown to admire her, and he was starting to see her as less of Revan, the Sith Lord that he hated, and more of Sarin Jast, the brave young woman he had met aboard the Endar Spire.

Her breath caught in her chest when she realized how she appeared to him now. As she sat there on the floor, with the aura of the Force surrounding her and emanating from her skin... she looked beautiful, and almost angelic, through his eyes. So this is how he perceives me? she thought, and her heart began to beat a little faster.

She felt something brush her mind, and quickly realized that it was Belaya. The other Jedi had given Sarin the mental equivalent of a tap on the shoulder. Sarin inhaled deeply, then forced herself to focus. She filtered Carth's presence out of her consciousness, for she could not afford to be distracted by him right now. She had to see if she could communicate with whatever was making those telepathic screams.

And yet, at the same time, part of her felt... afraid. Of course anyone would be frightened of the possibility of having their mind damaged. Who would want to live out their life with a severe mental impairment?

Yet there was another reason she felt uneasy. What if I go insane, and try to harm Belaya or Carth? she thought, swallowing. She didn't want that to happen, and could not bear the thought of it. They were the only ones left after all, the only people she could depend on. Zayne, Bastila, Juhani... they had been wonderful people who had set out with them on this journey, and they were gone. I will die before I will allow any harm to come to Belaya and Carth, she thought, her jaw set.

With that, she made a decision. She turned her head ever so slightly to glance in Belaya's direction. She never opened her eyes, but she did "see" the other woman through the Force. Belaya, she thought firmly, if I go insane, I want you to promise me you'll kill me. No arguments.

Sarin sensed Belaya's hesitation, but the other Jedi nodded firmly. Belaya understood that, if the former Sith Lord did go insane, she would become a very dangerous enemy indeed. I promise, Belaya transmitted, and swallowed.

Good, Sarin thought, and gave Belaya the mental equivalent of an embrace. She thought of Carth again, and considered giving him one as well... but she decided against it. She couldn't afford to be distracted again. Plus, she admitted to herself, it wouldn't quite be what she wanted anyway. She would prefer to be in his arms...

Stop allowing yourself to be distracted! Sarin snapped at herself. It's now, or never.

She slowly stretched out her mind, cautiously searching for the presence from which the screams emanated from. After a short while she found it... and it was an ancient mind, belonging to an ancient creature that has been living for a very long time.

She touched the elderly presence telepathically, merging her mind with its mind-

And she screamed.

Fredrick was at the Cantina, drowning in his sorrows. How could he have failed so miserably? Because of him, Captain Onasi and the Jedi were stranded down at the Base in the Rift, all because he was so incompetent. He wanted to do something, anything, to make up for it.

But he wasn't certain if there was anything he could do...

He sighed, and pushed his half-empty glass of Corellian ale aside. He wasn't supposed to drink while on duty anyway. Technically he was supposed to be down at the shipping bay, helping to load containers of kolto onto the Republic ships. But he wanted to do something to help the people he had let down, due to his own stupidity and incompetence.

He glanced up from the table, spotting a tall, gruff-looking person enter the cantina. Oh my goodness gracious! Fredrick thought, his jaw dropping into his lap. That's a Mandalorian!

And it certainly was. He received a few stares from just about everyone in the cantina; the pazaak player, the Echani and Iridonian mercenaries, the Selkath, and even the Sith and Republic officers who'd come to relax. But shortly everyone just went back to what they were doing, as though tough-looking Mandalorians strolled through there every day.

Fredrick wasn't too surprised, considering some of the tough-looking thugs who passed through sometimes. Especially the mercenaries. But so as long as people didn't start fights or threaten Manaan's neutrality in any way, the Selkath would tolerate almost anyone who came to Ahto City.

The burly Mandalorian wore a simple outfit that consisted of a pair of heavy brown pants and a sleeveless shirt that showed off his muscles and his scars. This was a man who had seen war, fought in countless battles, and was proud to let his appearance boast about it.

Fredrick picked up his drink and sipped it, just trying to mind his own business. Even though fights were not allowed on Manaan, he didn't want to take any chances.

"Hey there, kid," a gruff voice said near his ear, and he nearly choked on the last mouthful of his drink. He coughed and spluttered, looking up to see the Mandalorian standing over him. He hastily leapt to his feet, thinking quickly. "Uh-h-hello!" he stammered, trying to think of what to say. He wanted to make a run for it, to return to the Republic embassy, but Roland Wann would probably take away what little status he had left for not going to the docking bay like he was supposed too. So he just stood there, and offered a clumsy salute. "N-nice day, isn't it?" he babbled, and grimaced.

The Mandalorian snorted. "Relax, kid, I'm just here to talk to you. Sit down." He moved and sat down in the seat across from Fredrick's chair, and the Republic officer slowly and shakily sank back into his seat.

"W-what do you wish to talk about?" Fredrick gulped.

The Mandalorian rolled his eyes. "I said to calm down, kid. I'm not here to steal your lunch credits," he smirked. He reached into his pocket and took out an ID card, then slid it across the table.

Fredrick picked it up, and went bug-eyed. "You're with the Exchange!" he exclaimed.

"Keep your voice down," the Mandalorian growled. "Yes, I'm on an undercover mission for Davik, an Exchange boss who operates out of a base on Taris."

"Undercover mission?" Fredrick whispered. The ID card said that his name was Canderous Ordo, a mercenary who did work for the Exchange. "W-what kind of mission?" he asked.

Canderous snatched the card back and put it in his pocket. "Not here," he said. "Come with me. We'll talk more aboard Davik's ship, the Ebon Hawk."

"Y-you want me to go aboard Davik's ship?" Fredrick exclaimed He wanted nothing other than to get back to the Republic embassy, where he would be safe, away from this thug. He wanted nothing to do with the Exchange or this person. "I-I can't!" he said. "I need to get back to work!"

The Mandalorian smirked. "I know all about how you're supposed to be down at the docking bay loading crates of kolto. Seems like things are going very well for you in the Republic. I think that maybe it's time you tried something different. The Republic doesn't seem to appreciate you very much, and perhaps your skills and talents would be better used elsewhere."

Fredrick's face and hands went absolutely pale. How in the world did he know? Fredrick knew that the Mandalorian had him good, now. If he didn't go along, Canderous would probably tell Roland Wann about much more than how he was late for his duty shift. Fredrick had friends who would usually cover for him, who would look the other way when he made a mistake, and would not tell Wann when he was late. But if the Exchange knew about this, they probably knew about many other incidents that would probably get him stripped of rank and sent away.

As if reading his mind, Canderous said, "The Exchange has ways of finding things out. There is little that can escape their notice." He placed his elbows on the table and leaned forward. "Now," he whispered, "are you going to come with me to the Ebon Hawk, or shall I tell your boss at the embassy that you haven't reported for your shift at the docking bay?"

Fredrick was silent for a long moment, but he finally nodded slowly. "I'll... go with you," he gulped.

"What happened?" Carth demanded as he rushed toward Sarin's limp form. Belaya was kneeling over her, checking for a pulse.

"She's unconscious," Belaya answered, placing her hands on Sarin's temples. She concentrated for a moment, then shook her head. "I sensed it as she touched a... creature's mind. I felt it overwhelm her mind, and I tried to shield her from it, but it was already too late."

"Too late?" Carth echoed. "Do you mean she's-"

"She is still alive, but I don't know if her mind has been damaged," Belaya said. She looked down at Sarin's motionless body, and blinked. This almost seems familiar, she thought. Was this how she looked when Bastila saved her life, on the bridge of her flagship...?

"Will she be all right?" Carth asked. He knelt down and took Sarin's hand gently in his own.

"I don't know," the Jedi said softly. "We'll have to wait and see if she wakes up." And what will happen if she does regain consciousness? she thought, frowning deeply. She had promised Sarin that she would kill her if the entity-whatever it was-drove her mad.

But what if she's all right? Belaya swallowed. She's a very powerful Jedi... if she has been driven insane, and if she wakes up, I may not be able to defeat her. I shouldn't take the chance, I should kill her now... Her hand slowly inched toward the lightsaber on her hip... but she quickly dropped her hand. I can't, I just can't. She may be fine, and... I just can't take her life.

"We'll wait," she finally said to Carth. "You may want to tell the Republic ambassador what's happened... and if she wakes up, we'll find out if she's all right or not."

Carth nodded, never taking his eyes off of Sarin's face. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, then he released it and headed back for the communication's console.

Sarin Jast lay there on the floor, motionless, right where she had collapsed. Neither Carth nor Belaya dared to move her, unsure of her condition. But there was one thing Belaya had noticed; the telepathic screams had stopped. But neither she nor Carth had any way of knowing if Sarin had succeeded in stopping the screams for good. And they wouldn't know what had happened unless Sarin woke up.

"I think that perhaps we should try moving her to the submersible," Belaya said. "We're not going to help her if we just sit here, watching her while she lies on the floor. I don't really like moving her right now, but... it will probably bring her more harm if we don't move her and get her help."

"Good idea," Carth said. He gently scooped her up into his arms, and held her gently, making certain her head rested against his shoulder so her head wouldn't bob while he walked. "I'll get her to the shuttle. I'd like you to scout out the area a little more. If you find any fuel, let me know."

"Very well," Belaya said, frowning slightly. She did not like the idea of splitting up, because if the telepathic screams suddenly resumed, she would be the only one who could shield Carth's mind, and whatever might be left of Sarin's possibly damaged mind. If the screams started up again, she could probably shield her own mind, but Carth and Sarin would be on their own if she wasn't with them.

"May the Force be with you and protect you," she said softly, raising her hand in a formal salute. With that she turned and headed down the corridor, while Carth went in the opposite direction.

Carth entered the submersible and gently laid Sarin across one of the seats. He brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face, then placed his hand on her cheek. She was beautiful, especially while she slept... only he knew that this was a sleep she might not wake up from. And even if she did, would she be... all right?

He sighed softly. He didn't want to leave her side, not until he knew she was going to be okay. Her mind might have been damaged, he thought. And I can't think of anything worse than an insane Jedi... His hand slowly went toward the blaster on his belt. If she attacked him, he would probably only have one chance to take her down.

Yet he didn't want to frighten her if she was all right. She didn't need to see him pointing a blaster at her when-if-she woke up.

He continued to sit there, watching her quietly, and thinking deeply. Somehow he just couldn't think of her as Revan anymore. Not after everything they had been through. He just didn't see her as the enemy, but as someone who he could trust to guard his back.

She's not Revan anymore, he thought. I can't hate her. I've tried, but... I just can't. He continued to stare at her face, marveling at how beautiful she was. She reminded him of his wife in so many ways...

And yet, when he thought about Morgana, he could remember things about her, like the smell of her hair, the way she laughed... and their last argument, but he just couldn't remember her face. He furrowed his brow in frustration, trying to remember, but the image was blurry. He loved that woman more than anything, and he couldn't remember what she looked like...

Instead he found himself looking at Sarin's face, and he wished that he could do something to help her regain consciousness. He would give anything to know that she was all right. He tried to keep a hand near his blaster, to keep himself prepared for the worst, yet he felt his hand slipping away. He could never do that to her, even if she tried to kill him, the same way she had killed so many others in her past life...

He blinked, and shook his head slightly. His own thoughts puzzled him. He barely knew this woman, and yet... he felt attracted to her. He wasn't attracted to Revan, former Dark Lord of the Sith, he was attracted to Sarin Jast, who lay there across the seat, motionless. He frowned slightly, contemplating his feelings. He could not deny that he had grown to respect, perhaps even admire her in some ways, ever since they'd left Taris. Yes, even after he'd figured out she was Revan.

But why did he feel so attracted to her? It seemed so sudden, and yet it was something he had been feeling ever since...

He narrowed his eyes, stroking his chin thoughtfully. When she had knelt down on the floor, just outside the room where the communication's console was located, she had reached out telepathically, to try and contact whatever being was responsible for the telepathic screams. And he was positive that, for a moment-even if it was only for a few seconds-her mind had brushed his. It... was not something he could describe with words, nor could he put his finger on it. But something had happened between them, there and then, right before she was rendered unconscious.

It was almost as though he'd caught a glimpse of who she really was. The person she had become. She was no longer Revan; she was a much better person now, and a very different person. It was obvious that Revan was still in there somewhere, but... she was Sarin Jast now.

He looked at her face again. Yes, something had happened between them when she reached out with her mind. It was almost as though... something had clicked between them, as if their very souls had touched, somehow. The contact had been very brief, and yet... it had been just enough for him to catch a glimpse of who she was-her very soul. The person who lay there on the seat... she wasn't Revan. She was Sarin Jast...

Just then, her eyelids flickered, and she moaned softly. "Sarin?" he said, instantly forgetting the plan to keep a hand on his weapon. "Sarin, can you hear me?" he laid a hand on her forehead. "Are you all right?"

Her large, grayish-blue eyes looked up at his face, blinking. Her lips began to move, but no sound emerged. "Here," Carth said, grabbing a nearby flask of water, putting it to her lips. She nodded slightly, then drank a few swallows of water. "I'm all right," she whispered hoarsely as he took the flask away from her mouth. "Or I will be, at least."

"What happened?" Carth asked gently.

"I... contacted... a creature," she whispered in reply. "It... promised to stop screaming, on the condition that I destroy something that is invading its lair, and stealing its food supply. Something that is... violating its territory."

"A creature?" Carth said, shaking his head in puzzlement. "I don't understand-is there another creature invading its lair?"

"No... from what I gathered, its a machine," Sarin answered. "Ambassador Wann did say something about a violation of the Treaty with the Selkath. The creature showed me, through its eyes, what was intruding upon her lair. It overwhelmed me."

"So that's why you got knocked out," Carth murmured. "What did it show you?"

"It looked like a machine," she said. "A harvesting machine... one that was gathering up kolto."

"Are you saying it feeds off of the kolto?"

"Yes, I believe it does," Sarin answered. "I also found out that there's a Star Map down there, near its lair... but it will only allow me to access it on the condition that I destroy the machine. If that machine isn't destroyed soon, it will start screaming again."

Belaya wandered about, exploring the area more thoroughly, until she happened to come across what appeared to be a storage room. There were several lockers, each containing pieces of equipment, and a few odds and ends. She was relieved to find that they were unlocked, for it allowed her to scavenge each one for useful items.

She took a few grenades, a sonic emitter, and a few other things she believed were useful. But when she came to the final locker, she found that it was not only locked, but there was something moving around inside it.

"Hello? Fishy, fishy?" came a muffled voice, followed by hysterical laughter. "You won't get me little fishy! I'm safe in here behind my walls!"

Belaya blinked. She had apparently found someone alive, hiding inside this locker! But how did he survive the telepathic screams? If he survived, there's a good chance he's insane, she thought. "Hello?" she raised her voice to be heard through the metal door.

"Hello there!" the man within the locker giggled. "New fish fodder you are-chomp, chomp, chomp! But I'm safe in here, safe within my walls!" The man's voice pitch, the way he talked... everything about him suggested that he had lost his mind. But Belaya sensed he wasn't violent, he just wanted to stay in the safety of his locker. While he was in there, he felt secure, and he was harmless. But she needed information on this base if she was going to find out if there was any fuel, and he was the only person down here that she could ask.

Looks like I'll have to risk it, and see if I can get him to come out, she thought. "Everyone out here is dead," she said. "Why don't you come out?"

"No, no, no, no, no, no," the man whimpered. "That's what the others said. And they're all dead! Just like you will be soon! Food for fishy, that's you!"

Belaya closed her eyes, concentrating. "You want to come out," she said, using the Force to back up her words.

"No, I... I want to come out," he repeated, and after a few moments, the door opened, and he came out. His clothes were a bit ruffled, and his helmet was dented, as if he had been through a fight before he'd locked himself in the locker. Which of course, he probably had...

"Good," Belaya said. "Don't worry, I'll protect you-and the Selkath are all dead. Now, I need to ask you something: Is there any fuel down here?"

"Fuel?" he muttered. "Oh, yes, fuel! Yes there is fuel. Um, follow me," he said. "Fuel is here, somewhere... as soon as I can remember, you will see!" He grinned toothily.

Belaya's mouth quirked slightly. "Then let's go," she said, a twinge of impatience edging her tone. In reply, he nodded so hard that his helmet flew off. He scrambled over to get it, put it back on, grinned at her again, then took off down the corridor, leaving her to rush after him in order to catch up.

"You wouldn't have to be related to a man named Fredrick at the Republic base, would you?" she asked as she caught up with him, her voice sounding quite annoyed to her own ears.

The man stopped. "Fredrick? Why yes! I am Fredrick's brother! My name is Hedrick. Pleasure to meet you!" He reached out and grabbed her hand, then shook it so hard she thought her arm would fall off.

Great, just great, she thought, rolling her eyes. When she managed to retrieve her hand from his grasp, she forced herself to smile, then spoke as calmly as she could. "Let's just find the fuel, okay? Then we can refuel our submersible, and then we can take you back to the surface, all right?"

"Yes! Yes! Back to the surface!" Hedrick giggled, and once again ran off, leaving Belaya to catch up.

"I don't like this," Carth murmured, shaking his head. "I don't like this one bit. You're saying that you made a deal with this creature to destroy a Republic harvesting machine, and then it'll just stop screaming? How do we know it won't attack you afterwards, when you go to look for the Star Map?"

"It just wants the machine to be destroyed because its intruding upon its lair," Sarin stated. "Once that is gone, it should calm down. If something was invading your home, wouldn't you want it removed?"

Sarin's features softened when she saw the look in Carth's eyes. It was obvious that her words had hit home, in a way. Telos, she thought. She tried to think of something to say, but before she could, Carth recovered and said "That thing is responsible for killing everyone on this station. We have no idea what it's capable of. I... I don't want to see you get hurt again," he finished.

She looked at him, meeting his eyes with her own. "I'll be careful," she swore.


	5. Chapter 5

Fredrick followed the large Mandalorian out of the Cantina and toward the docking bay, constantly looking about. There were always plenty of people around. Somehow could easily spot him, and mention him if Ambassador Wann asked around for him.

"Relax kid," Canderous muttered. "You're going to draw attention to yourself."

Fredrick stayed close to the Exchange thug, trying to act calm and casual, yet he couldn't stop his hands from trembling. "Y-you still haven't said why you want to talk to me," he stammered in a hushed tone.

"Not out here," Canderous said. "Wait until we're on the ship."

They continued on in silence, until they came to the docking section of the City. Fredrick kept his head down, wringing his hands together as he walked. Every so often he would either bump into Canderous, or step on the Mandalorian's heel. Each time he would stammer an apology, and Canderous would either give him a look or roll his eyes.

When they finally arrived, Canderous looked relieved. "We're here," he said. "And there she is. The Ebon Hawk. Davik Kang's pride and joy."

Fredrick stared at the vessel with widen eyes. Canderous chuckled. "Quite a sight, isn't she?"

"It looks like you picked it up from a junk heap," Fredrick commented blandly. Then he gulped when Canderous scowled at him. There had been many times when Fredrick said something, then wished he had kept his mouth shut. Why did it just seem natural for him to put his foot in his mouth?

"Come on," Canderous growled.

The interior of the ship-what little Fredrick was allowed to see-seemed to be rather spacious. He and Canderous stood in the center of the Main Hold, with the large computer console between them, as if it were a table.

"Now," Canderous began, "let's talk business."

"I-I-I don't want any trouble with the Exchange!" Fredrick stammered. "And I didn't mean to insult your ship! Honest!"

"Calm down," Canderous said, rolling his eyes. "I haven't threatened you in any way, I just said that we should get down to business."

"Oh, right," Fredrick said. He folded his together on the computer console before him. "What's this all about?" he asked.

"As I said in the Cantina, it seems to me that the Republic doesn't appreciate you," Canderous said. "And your talents would be better used elsewhere. Perhaps with the Exchange. You could give us some very valuable information, enabling us to hijack shipments of kolto from the Republic. And we would pay you very handsomely for it. In fact," he added slowly, "we could even arrange things so that, if your boss at the Embassy keeps giving you trouble, he could have a little 'accident', and we could then see to it that someone a little more... suitable could take over."

Fredrick stared at him with wide eyes. He quickly thought over his options. If he said no, there was no telling what the Exchange would do to him. But if he said yes, he would be helping them steal kolto from the Republic, and Roland Wann's life might be in danger.

Maybe I can just say I'll go along with them, and warn my boss, he thought, licking his lips nervously. But the Exchange had him followed, and if they found out that he had told Wann about this... he was a dead man.

What was he going to do?

Roland Wann sighed heavily as he ruffled through yet another stack of papers on his desk. Didn't the Selkath bureaucrats have anything better to do than keep piling the Republic Embassy with more and more paperwork? The Selkath had always been very protective of their neutrality, but this was getting ridiculous. "Why don't they just get it over with and make me write down how many footsteps my officers make each day when they walk?" he muttered under his breath. "Perhaps they would even start taxing extra footsteps as well..."

It seemed like whenever a member of the Republic, or the Sith, did something to break the law on Manaan, no matter how minor the offense was, it lead too a mountain of paperwork that immediately got shipped to the man in charge. And who was in charge of the Republic embassy? Him, of course. So even though every man and woman on Manaan was responsible for their own actions, he was responsible for their actions as well, in a manner of speaking, because he was the man in charge.

He inhaled deeply, and released it into another sigh. He rubbed his temples wearily, resting his elbows on his desk as he did so. He no longer cared if the officers within the base were looking at him or not. He was too tired to think straight right now.

Many hours had passed since he had last heard from Captain Carth Onasi, and he hadn't bothered to keep track of how much time had passed between then and now. He felt as though he might fall asleep at his desk.

"Sir?" came a voice, giving him a start.

"Hmm?" he said, sitting up straight and rubbing his eyes. "Oh, Lieutenant Marshwell. What is it?" His tone came out a bit more stiffly than he'd intended, but everyone at the base understood the stress he was under. He knew that Marshwell was neither taken aback nor offended.

"We seem to be receiving startling reports from the docking port of Ahto City," Marshwell said, her brow furrowing in puzzlement. "The first one we received stated that Fredrick was running very late for his duty shift in loading kolto shipments. Then another message was received, stating that there had been a short fire-fight down there, involving some Exchange thugs, and then we received word that Fredrick was somehow... involved." A soft frown spread across her features. "The Selkath authorities would not know anything about the ongoings in that area, because they haven't installed any security cameras in the docking bays. But... we seem to have lost contact with our people down there. Should I contact the authorities, or should we send someone down to investigate?"

The Republic ambassador released another sigh. He looked like he wanted to lay his head on his desk and go to sleep, or bury his face in his hands and cry. Even though he was no longer looking at Marshwell, he could feel her concerned gaze resting on him. "Sir-perhaps you should get some rest," she said quickly. "We can handle this without contacting the Selkath," she added. Her tone indicated that she had expected all along that he would want to handle this without alerting the Selkath authorities, but she was just trying to do her job by being thorough.

"Indeed you can," Wann said coolly. "Get a team together and go down there to investigate. But be discreet about it. We've already violated a treaty, and we're having enough problems with our base down in the Rift. We don't want the Selkath authorities to start snooping around our embassy."

Marshall gave a formal salute, then turned on her heel and walked off, ready to carry out her orders.

Roland Wann watched her until she was out of sight, then he rested his head on his desk. I just need a little sleep, he thought. And for the first time in what seemed like days, he allowed his eyes to drift shut...

Sarin Jast made her way down the corridor, toward the equipment room-the same room where Belaya had found Hedrick, a loon that had locked himself in one of the lockers. She had just left the submersible a few moments ago, shortly after Belaya and the said loon had arrived with a large canister of fuel. Shortly before their arrival, Sarin and Carth had finished a rather heated debate. Basically Sarin had sensed that Belaya was returning, and she wanted Carth to remain with the vehicle while she went off to destroy the harvesting machine. That way she could focus on the objective, knowing that he was out of danger, and with someone who could block out the screams if they started up again.

When Sarin realized that Belaya had managed to locate a survivor, and had helped to locate some fuel, she was even more insistent that Carth stay here, with the submersible, along with the others. "If I'm not back in a reasonable amount of time," Sarin had said, "I want all of you to return to the surface. Report to Roland Wann, and perhaps even contact the Jedi Council. If I fail, you must send an encrypted transmission... because the Council would need to know that we failed our mission."

The others tried to argue of course, but they couldn't argue with her reasoning. They reluctantly agreed, and as Sarin turned to leave the submersible, Hedrick proceeded to refill the tank, and she heard Carth's faint murmur: "She's as stubborn as Morgana used to be." Sarin blinked at his words, but kept on walking, not even glancing back at him. She had a job to do, and she intended to do it.

Once she arrived at the equipment room, she found an environmental suit-also known as a wetsuit-sitting on the floor between a couple of lockers. She looked the suit over, and determined that it was in fairly good shape. It was a rather bulky item to be carrying about, but she knew that she would most likely be going out onto the ocean floor, sooner or later. If the creature-whatever it was-wanted her to destroy the harvesting machine it had shown her through its eyes during their telepathic contact, that meant she was going to need this suit.

She scrounged around the other lockers, though she knew that Belaya had already gone through them, and taken most of the useful items. Belaya had given some of the said items to Sarin shortly after she and Hedrick had returned with the fuel. But Sarin wanted to be thorough. After looking through each one carefully, and taking one or two things that interested her, she closed up the lockers, then continued on down the corridor.

Lieutenant Marshwell rounded up four security officers within the embassy, and told them that they were going to investigate what happened in the docking bay, immediately. Then she and the men she'd selected gathered up their gear, then headed for the base's entrance/exit. On the way out, they passed by Roland Wann's desk, and saw him slumped across some of the paperwork, snoring loudly. Marshwell glanced at the men accompanying her, put a finger to her lips, and they quietly walked by.

Then they headed down toward the docking area, doing their best to look casual. They didn't need to alert the Sith, the Selkath, or any other passersby. They just wanted to make it look like they were just going about their duty.

When they arrived at the docking section, they cautiously entered the one reserved for shipping away the Republic's share of the kolto shipments. They kept their hands near their weapons and went into the docking bay, ready for anything.

When they entered, they saw... what was probably the very last thing they'd expected. A rather large ship had docked, and it definitely wasn't a standard Republic shuttle. It was too large, and it looked more like a smuggling vessel than anything else.

And it seemed as though every person in the area had been killed in a blaster battle. I seemed that one person had been trying to use a communication's terminal when it had overloaded-presumably it had been hit by a stray blaster bolt. Or it could have been hit on purpose.

"Looks like we'll need to contact the Selkath authorities after all," Marshwell sighed. And this means even more paperwork for Ambassador Wann, she thought, biting her lower lip. The poor man was stressed enough as it was. He didn't need something like this happening...

Walking down the corridors of this base was like... walking through a graveyard, or a ghost town. And, in a sense, it was both. The telepathic screams had killed everyone within the base. It seemed that there were things even the Selkath did not know about the ocean floor. And this would be especially true if they did not know anything about a Star Map being on their world...

Sarin spent nearly an hour trying to find her way toward her destination. Sections of the facility were locked down, so she'd been forced to put on the wetsuit and exit the base through one of the airlocks. She knew it wouldn't take her too long to reach the other half of the base through the water. It was just a matter of reaching the airlock on the other side of the structure... assuming there was one.

Moving along the ocean floor, through the water, was a slow process. Especially with numerous predators swarming about, each one wanting to make a meal of her. And yet she knew she could not harm any of them, even if they attacked her. The beasts practically swarmed over her as soon as she'd exited the airlock, and she used the Force to persuade them she wasn't edible. Her fingers tightened on a sonic emitter as a second swarm of beasts came after her, menacingly, and yet she knew she couldn't harm them. The sonic emitter will kill them, she thought as she waved her hand, convincing them that she wouldn't make a good meal.

She frowned slightly at the thought. Why was she so hesitant to harm them? It was almost as though a subconscious thought, deep within her mind, was strongly telling her not to harm them.

Just then, it clicked. Of course, she thought. It's her... the being responsible for the screams. She senses I'm out here, and she doesn't want me... to harm her children.

Sarin took a deep breath, then nodded. I won't harm your children if you call them off, she transmitted telepathically, unsure if the Mother was receiving the message. "Mother" is as good a name as any for the being, she thought. Especially since she's the mother of these... these sharks.

She knew it would be dangerous to join minds with the Mother, considering what happened last time. But she hoped they could each send impressions to each other, sort of like shouting to each other from a distance rather than merging minds. She waited silently, keeping her own thoughts still, and was about to give up when she "heard" a soft mental response, more like an echo than an actual reply. After a moment, she realized that the Mother was bouncing the message off of her children's minds to avoid harming her.

My children will leave you alone, came the message. Use your senses to home in on my position. Remove that which invades my lair, and you may have that which you seek.

The message ended, and the sharks seemed to resume their patrol, but they did not bother her again. Sarin studied the beasts for a moment, shaking her head in wonder. So the Mother is a sentient being! she thought. During our brief contact, I... I think I suspected it, but... now I know for certain.

She shook off those thoughts and moved away from the airlock. The Mother had told her to home in on her whereabouts, and Sarin intended to do just that. When she reached out with her Force senses, she encountered a very powerful mind...

Don't let yourself be absorbed by it, Sarin told herself firmly. Just use it as a beacon. Find where she is, destroy the harvesting machine, and then your end of the deal will be done. She sighed, then pressed onward.

"Are you absolutely certain?" Marshwell asked for the third time. She'd had the men go over every scrap of evidence multiple times, and she wanted to be sure they hadn't missed anything. I do not wish to disturb Wann until we're sure we've got our facts straight, she thought. They were standing just outside the Republic Embassy's entrance.

"Yes," the younger officer said for the third time. "From what we can tell, from the security logs and datapads, as well as other clues, Fredrick had been approached by a member of the Exchange in the Cantina-and a freelance mercenary had witnessed the entire thing, and confirmed it. Anyway, Fredrick had apparently accompanied the Exchange representative to Davik Kang's ship, and tried to get Fredrick to work with the Exchange. Fredrick agreed, but he was only playing along."

"So it seems Fredrick stopped the Exchange from hijacking a shipment of Kolto," Marshwell said thoughtfully. "And it cost him his life."

The officer nodded. "Yes, Lieutenant. From what we can tell, the Exchange wanted him to trick the Republic officers in the docking bay. At least... well, that's a guess, we're not really sure what went on, but we're speculating. But what we do know is this: there was a shoot-out between the Exchange and the Republic officers, and Fredrick had attempted to reach the communication terminal before he was shot. No one survived the fight, but we managed to get some information out of Crewman Deller before he passed away."

"What sort of information?" Marshwell asked.

"He just said that Fredrick had warned them, and that if he hadn't, the Exchange would have gotten away with the Kolto," the officer said. "Other than that... we have no idea what went on down there. But we think that the Exchange was relying heavily on Fredrick to do something when they came for the Kolto, because it would seem rather foolish for land their struts in the docking bay and expect to get away with all the Kolto."

"Well, if they were expecting Fredrick to help them from the inside, they probably figured they could land, load up the Kolto, and go before anyone could shout for help," Marshwell said thoughtfully. "Think about it. If Fredrick had sealed the door to Ahto City and disabled the communication's console, then the Exchange could land their ship and take the Kolto with little resistence. They would be heavily armed, and our men down would not be prepared for an attack. And if Fredrick chose too, he could go with the Exchange members when they left. However, if Fredrick warned our men ahead of time, then they could stand a chance." She sighed softly. "I believe that that is what may have happened."

"Yes, Lieutenant, I would have to agree with your logic," the officer replied with a salute. "Anyway, the Selkath are now doing their own investigation... as you know. This did not escape their notice, and they have impounded the Ebon Hawk until further notice."

"Mmmm, I somehow figured they would," Marshwell said. She glanced about, making certain the hallway was still empty. The last thing she wanted right now was eavesdroppers. "Well, I shall report this to Ambassador Wann now. You and the others have done good work. It's too bad Fredrick and the others couldn't have been saved, but at least they prevented the Exchange from stealing Kolto."

"Lieutenant... if I may say so," the officer said, sounding stunned, "is Kolto really worth the lives of our officers?"

Marshwell looked at him for a long moment. Finally, she said "It is our job to protect the interests of the Republic, and to protect our most valuable resources." Without another word she turned on her heel and entered the Embassy.

The young officer stared after her for a moment, eyebrows raised. "Right," he murmured skeptically, then followed.

When Sarin reached the harvesting machine, she was amazed at how large it was. Well, it would need to be large in order to harvest large amounts of Kolto, she thought. She glanced warily at the sharks swarming near the machine, but they continued to ignore her.

She cautiously approached the control console of the machine, then she studied it intently. It looks like I may be able to overload the machine with its own fuel, she thought. It will destroy the machine, and it should calm the Mother. Right at that moment, something else caught her eye. What is this?

She examined it more closely, and she realized that there was a switch that would release a powerful toxin into the water. Had someone been developing something to kill these sharks... possibly even the Mother herself? It would make sense, she thought. She looked thoughtfully at the switch for a moment, then shook her head. Killing the Mother is not an option. I will not harm another sentient being, or her children. Not to mention what this might to do the Kolto...

She ignored the switch and proceeded to work with the fuel controls, until the machine began to overload. The sharks immediately swam away as the machine exploded in an impressive manner. Sarin wasn't sure if they were frightened, or if they merely sensed that the source of their mother's distress was gone, and that they no longer felt the need to protect her.

It's done, Sarin transmitted in the Mother's direction.

Indeed-thank you, came the reply, and the "voice" behind it sounded much more relaxed and even peaceful. In fact, the Mother's mind brushed briefly with hers, expressing gratitude. This time when their minds merged, Sarin only felt warmth, and she actually found the Mother's mind to be quite pleasant. Then the Mother withdrew from Sarin's mind, but not before telling her, Come and get that which you seek. It is yours. You came here once before to access it... I remember sensing your presence, although you did not see me. But that is no matter.

Sarin blinked. Of course... she had located all of the Star Maps before, as Revan. Part of her began to wonder what the Mother would have thought of her back then... or what she would have thought of the Mother back then. But that was quite irrelevant; all that mattered was the Star Map.

She took a deep breath, then headed in the direction of the ancient mechanism, the thick water slowing her down considerably. It took her about three minutes to walk from what remained of the harvesting machine to the Star Map-which would have taken less than a minute had she been on dry land. When she finally reached it, it seemed to sense her approach, and it immediately opened.

Fascinating, she thought as it began to glow brightly. The device worked even under water. She walked up to it as the holographic lights formed, showing the positions of planets and stars, adding a piece to the mysterious puzzle. She reached into a pocket on the front of her envirosuit and pulled out a datapad, which was, of course, waterproof. She then entered the new information into the device, then slipped it back into her pocket.

Three more to go, she thought, feeling only slightly satisfied. She was pleased that she had finally managed to get what she had come for in the first place. But considering all that she, Carth, and Belaya had gone through just to get it, not to mention the deaths of Bastila, Juhani, and her elderly friend... what would possibly be in store for them when they went to the other worlds? They still had to go to Tatooine, Kashyyyk, and Korriban...

We will do what we must, for the sake of the Republic, Sarin thought. With that she turned her back on the Star Map, which proceeded to shut down and close itself up as she walked away.

"Amazing," Roland Wann said, "absolutely astonishing. I've never been so stunned in my entire life."

"Indeed, sir," Lieutenant Marshwell said formerly, standing before the ambassador's desk. She had given him a full report of what happened in the docking bay just over two hours ago, after which he had gone to speak with the Selkath authorities. He had just barely gotten back from talking with them. "Fredrick saved the day, and the Exchange was prevented from stealing Kolto from us."

"Yes, there is that too," Wann said. "But I'm more amazed that the Selkath didn't pile another mountain of paperwork on me! All they wanted was a verbal statement from me, and that was it!" Once those words left his mouth, he seemed to regret it immediately. He sighed heavily and rubbed his temples. "This is not the time for jokes," he muttered. "And I shouldn't joke about this... some of our people died today. It's nothing to make fun of... I haven't been getting much sleep lately."

"Indeed you haven't," Marshwell said coolly, arching a brow at him. "Perhaps you should get some rest-and I mean, you should go to bed. Return to your quarters. It isn't good for you to keep sleeping at your desk."

"I'll be fine," Wann said with a wave of his hand. "In fact, believe it or not, I'm almost finished with this current stack of paperwork. Once that is finished, I'll be able to relax... at least until we hear from our friends below. If we ever do," he added grimly.

"I'm sure we will," Marshwell said. "Please, just finish whatever you need to, then get some sleep."

"That I will," the middle-aged ambassador said. "You won't have to tell me twice."

"There, I think that just about covers it," the Selkath official murmured in the native tongue of his people. Sarin Jast let out a sigh of relief when she heard those words.

When Sarin, Carth, Belaya and Hedrick had returned from the underwater base in the submersible, Sarin had told Ambassador Wann everything. And Roland was in good spirits for a change, since he had taken Marshwell's advice and gotten some much-needed sleep. Sarin did most of the talking, since she knew more about the being the operations had woken up than anyone else. However, as soon as she finished telling the story to Roland, the Selkath authorities entered the Republic Embassy, and ordered her to come along peacefully.

They had taken her and her companions into the audience chamber before the Judges of Ahto City, and she repeated the same story she'd told Ambassador Wann. When the Judges learned that the operations had woken up a sentient being, and that she had destroyed the harvesting machine to carry out its wishes, they seemed to regard her with something close to awe. Apparently they had legends about a great sea beast that was the ancient ancestor of their species, and no one had had direct contact with it for countless centuries.

For once, the Selkath seemed less interested in bureaucracy and more interested in the sentimental side of things. They hounded Sarin with questions, things like: "What did the beast look like?" or "You claim you have conversed with it? What did it sound like?" It was like being surrounded by a crowd of curious school-children who'd learned that the hero from all their favorite stories not only existed, but had spoken to an off-worlder, who then carried out the Great Beast's wishes. Whether she wanted to be or not, Sarin was now a hero and a celebrity.

In fact, the Selkath Judges immediately dismissed the case from the court, and the officials gave Sarin, her companions, and even Roland Wann, very little paperwork-which surprised the Republic Ambassador greatly.

"Seems the Force does do miracles every so often," Roland had whispered to Sarin out of the Selkaths' earshot. They had filled out what little paperwork the authorities had given them, and then handed it in.

"You are now free to leave," the Selkath official said.

"Hold on just a moment," Roland Wann said. He moved to the center of the audience chamber to stand before the Judges, so that he would have their full attention. "What about that ship that attempted to hijack kolto shipments from the Republic?"

"Ah, yes, the Ebon Hawk," the head Judge said. "Then you have learned that the ship's ID is that of a Republic vessel?"

"A Republic vessel?" Carth said, surprised. "But I heard that that ship belonged to the Exchange-to a big crime boss named Davik."

"Indeed," the Selkath Judge replied, fingering his thoughtfully. "We investigated, and we have discovered that the vessel was stolen several years ago. However, we could not get any details on the incident, only that the owner of the ship was killed, and that all of his property-including the ship-was taken in order to repay a large debt owed to the Exchange."

"So what will become of the ship?" Sarin asked, taking a step toward the head Judge.

"Once the appropriate paperwork is filled out, the Republic may take the ship if they wish, and they may decide what to do with it," the Selkath answered.

"More paperwork," Sarin murmured under her breath, barely audible. "Judge," she said, speaking up, "my companions and I need a vessel."

"I could fill out the appropriate paperwork," Roland Wann said. "You've helped me out, so I'll do something to help you out as well."

"So be it," the Selkath Judge said. "Once the paperwork is complete, you may take the ship, Sarin Jast."

Belaya glanced from Roland to Sarin. She shook her head, then stepped up beside the former Sith Lord. "Are you sure that's wise?" she whispered. "That's an Exchange vessel, whether it was formerly owned by the Republic or not! Who knows where it's been, or who might come looking for it!"

"That's a risk I'm willing to take," Sarin answered. "We need to get moving, to find the other Star Maps. I have a feeling the Sith may find out I'm here very soon-if they haven't already. It would be best if we just take the ship, since it's the only one available, and go."

Belaya glanced in Carth's direction, noting that he looked as uncertain as she felt. She turned back to Sarin, shrugging her shoulders. "You have a good point there," she murmured. "Very well, I shall follow your lead."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Several weeks passed after their departure from Manaan, and they found the journey to be a lot more bearable in the Ebon Hawk than in the shuttle they'd used when they had left Dantooine. Partly because the shuttle had been smaller and more cramped, and partly because now because the remaining crew felt less hostile toward each other. Unfortunately, the empty rooms onboard the rather spacious Hawk brought back the painful reminder of their fallen comrades.

With only the three of them onboard, it was a bit awkward to maintain the vessel in flight, but they each took turns at the helm. Carth took the night shift, Sarin took over early in the morning until late afternoon, and Belaya took over through the evening into the late evening. This routine worked out fine, and thankfully their journey to Korriban was uneventful.

It also took some time to get used to their new vessel. The hyperdrive was a bit temperamental, and Sarin made a mental note to have a mechanic take a look at it, once they arrived at their next destination.

There were also plenty of supplies onboard. Apparently the Exchange kept their ships well-stocked with food and such. What's more is that it was actually edible. Sarin knew from experience that some food rations tasted like crunchy cardboard, but the food onboard this vessel tasted half-way decent.

Due to the piloting shifts, and the fact that the computer and the hyperdrive needed an occasional tuneup, Carth, Sarin, and Belaya didn't have much of an opportunity to talk. But they would share some of their meals in the cockpit, so they could at least share each other's company and talk for a little while. But then they had to get back to whatever they were doing.

Finally, after several weeks of travel, they arrived at Korriban. They requested permission to land, and then they set down on the planet's surface, in a docking area within a settlement known as Dreshdae. Once the Ebon Hawk had landed, the trio met in the main hold to discuss what they were about to do.

"All right," Carth said slowly, resting a hand on the computer console in the center of the room, "after what happened on Manaan, I think we should be extremely careful. We can't afford to lose anyone else."

"I agree," Belaya said. "And in my estimation, this world is much more dangerous than Manaan. This is a Sith planet."

"Indeed," Sarin sighed softly, running her fingers through her hair absent-mindedly. Korriban... this world brought back memories, things she would much rather forget. She bit her lip, then shoved back the memories and feelings that threatened to come flooding back. She needed to focus on the here and now, if they were going to succeed in finding the Star Map.

And hopefully they could find it and get to it without any more casualties, and without much trouble. Then of course, since this was a Sith world... they probably couldn't expect things to go as smoothly as they would like. Plans rarely go as well as one would like, Sarin thought, sighing softly. But... we must do the best we can.

"I think it would be best if we stick together," Sarin said. "We should ask around as discreetly as possible, and see if we can find out anything about ancient Sith artifacts."

"Since this is a Sith planet, I would expect there would be many," Belaya pointed out.

Sarin nodded. She took a deep breath, then said "Come on. The sooner we get going, the better."

Once they paid the docking fee, they were permitted to enter Dreshdae. Though the first thing Sarin did was approach a man who was right there in the docking bay, who was obviously a mechanic. She talked to him for a few minutes, telling him about the hyperdrive onboard the Ebon Hawk, and describing the trouble that they were having with it. Finally they reached a deal, and the man went over to the Hawk and walked up the ramp, going inside.

"I'll check his work once he's finished, and then I'll pay him if I'm satisfied," Sarin murmured to the others, as they headed out of the docking bay, into Dreshdae.

"What does that mean?" Belaya asked, narrowing her eyes slightly. "If you don't like his work you won't pay him?"

"No, I meant that I want to make sure he hasn't sabotaged the vessel," Sarin stated. "This is a Sith world after all. I would rather be safe than sorry."

Before the discussion could continue, they encountered a small group of sentiments. A dark-skinned human-obviously a Sith, judging by the lightsaber on his belt-was facing two Twi'leks and a young human, all of whom appeared to be just a couple years younger than himself.

The Sith appeared to be scolding the trio for not answering his question correctly, he appeared to be getting fed up with the lot. His fists were clenched at his sides, and he was shaking his head in disgust. Right at that moment, he spotted Sarin, Carth, and Belaya as they approached.

"You there!" he said, pointing at Sarin. "You're looking to get into the academy right? What would you propose I do to these hopefuls?"

"Please! Don't let him hurt us!" the young female Twi'lek cried.

"Silence!" The Sith sounded exasperated.. He sighed, making a gesture of digust, then turned back to Sarin. "These pathetic hopefuls are trying my patience. They would be eaten alive if they entered the academy, so I thought I would save them the trouble and do it myself. But I can't seem to decide what to do... maybe a bit of Force-lightening? What do you think?"

Sarin raised an eyebrow, glancing at her companions out of the corner of her eye. Then she said, "Let them go."

"Let them go?" the Sith parroted, narrowing his eyes. "And why should I do that?"

Sarin's hand slowly inched toward her lightsaber, her fingertips brushing it. "Because I'll kill you if you don't!" she snapped.

Carth and Belaya exchanged glances behind her. Belaya had no desire to participate in a conflict, and they all knew that, if they started a fight on Korriban, things could turn ugly. However, as Belaya quickly reminded herself, the rules were different here. This was a Sith planet, a place where Sith trained and fought, and followed a "might is right" tradition. If this were a Republic world, they could be arrested for fighting with someone. However, this Sith was threatening to harm three innocent people, and Sarin was merely stepping in with her own threat. If anyone saw, they would probably just stay out of it, not wanting to be harmed themselves.

The Sith's eyes widened at Sarin's words, then he actually chuckled. "Oh my!" he laughed. "I don't think I've had anyone stand up to me like that in ages!" he said, obviously impressed. "You see?" he said, turning back to face the three "hopefuls", who were now practically trembling in their boots. "This is the sort of backbone you need if you want to get into the academy. Now get out of my sight, all of you." With that, he turned and walked away, as though thoroughly bored of the entire situation, while the hopefuls ran off in the opposite direction.

Sarin glanced at her companions, shrugged, and then lead the way down the corridor.

Sarin did most of the talking, and it was eventually discovered that there were numerous Sith artifacts out among the ancient tombs. And the only way to get to the tombs was by going through the academy to get to them. And the only way to get into the academy was to get accepted as a student.

They agreed that they needed to discuss their next course of action, so they returned to the Ebon Hawk and went to the cockpit, well away from where the mechanic was working on the funky hyperdrive. Even so, they still spoke in hushed tones.

"It's plain and simple, to get into the academy, one or both of us must be accepted as students," Belaya said.

"I agree," Sarin said. "Anyone who comes near us will know we're Force-sensitive. Maybe both of us could try and get inside."

"What about Carth?" Belaya said. "They won't accept him into the academy."

"That's a good point," Sarin said. "Carth... I think perhaps, you should stay here on the ship."

"Sarin, I'm not going to sit by and do nothing while you go into a place that's full of Sith," Carth protested. "Maybe I can pass off as a servant or something, but I'm going with you."

"That could work, actually," Belaya murmured, raising an eyebrow.

"A servant, huh?" Sarin murmured, a smile tugging at the edges of her lips. She reached out and playfully stroked Carth's chin. "That sounds fun," she said teasingly, with a wink. Carth raised his eyebrows, appearing amused and slightly indignant at the same time. Belaya shot her a disapproving look, and rolled her eyes.

Sarin turned on her heel and headed out of the cockpit. "We'd better get going," she said.

Yuthura Ban, a beautiful Twi'lek with lavender skin, was well-known within Dreshdae. She was a powerful Sith master, and was the second-in-command in the Sith academy. Apparently she often came out of the academy to drink in the cantina, and she was the sort of person whom most people preferred to steer clear of-especially if they had no business with the Sith, and most especially if she was in a sour mood.

Today was no expectation. Sarin, Belaya, and Carth took three empty seats within the cantina, and ordered a round of Juma juice, waiting for the Sith master. According to their sources, she usually came in around the afternoon, and it was about that time now. So they sipped their drinks and kept a discreet eye on the cantina's entrance, waiting for her to appear.

"I wonder what we'll have to do to impress her?" Belaya whispered, taking a light sip from her glass.

"I don't know," Sarin said, shoving away her drink. She hadn't even touched hers, and she wasn't going too.

"I hope it won't involve killing or harming innocent 'hopefuls'," Carth commented, and tipped his glass back to drink the last gulp of his juma juice. He then set the cup down and slid it away. The bartender-a Rodian wearing a simple yellow jumpsuit-offered to refill it. Carth just shook his head at him, then turned his attention back to the Jedi.

"Maybe she'll be in a better mood after she's had a few drinks," Sarin commented, reaching for her glass and turning it with her hand, watching the brownish liquid within sparkle in the soft light. Suddenly she smiled, and said "You did notice that sign just outside the cantina's entrance, didn't you? 'The Drunk Side.'" She then glanced from Carth to Belaya, and her smile turned impish. "Perhaps there is something to be feared more than the Dark Side! Imagine a drunken a Sith, acting out among his fellow Sith within the academy... it would be total chaos!"

Carth chuckled, and Belaya shot her a look that was somewhere between amusement and annoyance at her jesting. Sarin's smile only widened as she thought about how much Belaya reminded her of Bastila. They were not the same person, obviously, but they seemed to have the same uptight attitude at times. This realization made Sarin's smile fade after a moment. It brought back the painful reminder that Zayne, Bastila, and Juhani were no longer with them.

Over the past few weeks, Sarin and her friends had done a fair bit of grieving for their fallen comrades. Sarin had shed a few tears during the voyage, although she'd made certain that the others didn't see her. She had always been a stubborn woman, and she just didn't want anyone to see her cry. In fact, the only person who had seen her cry was Malak...

Her eyes glazed over as she slipped back, into the memory, of something that happened so long ago. It was when she was only 16, and she and Malak were exploring the crystal cave on Dantooine. She remembered that she had always been the impulsive one, and she was usually getting them both into trouble. And this day had been no exception...

They entered the cave together, their lightsabers at the ready, knowing that the kinrath made their nests in this cave. As they slowly walked through the cave, approaching the back of it, Revan took a slight lead.

"Revan, don't get too far ahead of me," Malak warned, moving a little bit faster to keep up with her. She was an athletic person, and a swift walker. Even though he was taller and had longer legs, he sometimes had to walk quickly to keep up with her, especially when she was excited.

"Don't worry," Revan laughed, beaming in his direction. "I doubt they even know we're coming."

"This had better work," Malak growled. "The Masters wouldn't approve of us sneaking off like this."

Revan rolled her eyes, which caused Malak to sigh. That in turn only cause Revan to grin wickedly. They were an inseparable pair, and yet in some ways, they had always been total opposites. Malak was more cautious and rational, Revan was quicker to act, and she had a temper. Nevertheless, they had always been very close friends. What neither of them could have realized though was that today, their friendship would deepen in a way that niether of them would have expected.

Revan had discovered from a reliable source that if one had a prepared kinrath gland, one could walk among the beasts without them attacking. Apparently the creatures relied on their sense of smell, and each kinrath had a scented gland that told other kinrath that they were the same species. On one of their many escapades, Revan and Malak had each killed a kinrath out in the plains, and they had taken the corpses back to their rooms within the Jedi enclave, taking care so that the Masters would not find out what they were up too. Revan had then done the work of extracted the gland from each of the beasts, and she had prepared them with special items she had aquired from somewhere or other.

Now they were ready. They were going to slip into the cave, and hopefully be able to get some crystals without having to fight the beasts. However, things would not go quite as planned.

They reached the back of the cave, where all of the crystals were growing. It was truly a sight to behold, with several crystal formations, each one glowing brightly. The crystals themselves lit this chamber within the cave.

Among the crystal formations there were hive kinrath, many of which were tending to their nests. Some of them appeared to have just barely hatched, and those were just moving about, flexing their legs, as though they were getting used to the fact that they were out of the egg now.

This was when Revan made her mistake. She dashed forward, anxious to get a few crystals, her kinrath gland slipped from her grasp. Only she didn't even realize she had lost it until she heard Malak shouting her, and then felt pain exploding in her back, right between her shoulder blades, as a sharp stinger penetrated her flesh. She screamed, and quickly realized that the entire hive was starting to swarm over her, attacking her, defending their nest...

The next thing she knew, she was on the ground, staring up at the open sky, seeing Malak's concerned face as he kneeled over her. The expression in his eyes said it all; she had nearly died in that cave. She felt sore and stiff all over, and she knew for a fact that those beasts had done a fair job on her. Malak didn't look worse for the wear-but then she realized that he'd still had his gland. He could have attacked the kinrath without them even realizing he was there. After all, to them, he was just one of them. And they would never attack one of their own kind, nor would they expect one of their own kind to attack them.

Malak looked into her eyes, and moved his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He looked both frustrated with her, yet relieved at the same time. "Revan," he finally managed, "you could have been killed..."

Revan swallowed, knowing that that was the truth. If he hadn't been there, she would be dead right now. Once again he had come to her rescue. Though this time it hadn't been just a case of giving the Masters an "explaination"-or excuse-for something she had done at the enclave. This time, he had literally saved her life, because she had been so foolish and careless.

Malak now wore the same expression on his face as Master Vrook did when he was going to lecture her and give her a grueling assignment as punishment. She didn't want a lecture, not from her best friend, not from the person who was always at her side when she needed him most. She felt anger building up within her at the very idea. He was the person who stood up for her, who always listened to her rants when she wanted to vent about how unfair she felt the Masters were treating her. She just could not tolerate the thought of her best friend scolding her.

He opened his mouth, looking like he was indeed going to scold her, but then his expression softened, and instead of saying anything at all, he reached down and pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly. "Revan," he managed in a faint whisper, "I... I don't want to lose you."

Revan heard a tremor in his voice that she had never heard before. It was only at that moment that she realized... perhaps he felt something for her. Of course they had always been good friends, but... was there something more? Did he feel something deeper?

She felt... comfortable in his warm embrace, and she found herself returning it fiercely. After a few moments, she pulled back just enough to look into his eyes. At that moment, she realized it was true. He did have feelings for her. Her lips thinned into a soft, sweet smile, and she touched Malak's chin, leaning forward to kiss him...

"Revan..."

"Sarin?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Sarin?"

Sarin's head snapped up when she realized Carth was saying her name. He had a hand on her shoulder, and he was looking at her, concerned. "You blanked out there for a moment," he said. "Are you all right?"

Sarin swallowed, then nodded. "Yeah, I'm alright."

Before anyone could say anything more, a slight commotion near the cantina's entrance got their attention. Several of the cantina's patrons were moving out of the way as a lovely, lavender-skinned Twi'lek entered. She wore a simple gray outfit, yet it accented her slim figure nicely. She wore the tattoos of a Sith on her forehead and cheeks, and her long lekku, which had been dyed purple, flowed down the back of her head and rested on her shoulders. She looked absolutely stunning, as beautiful as any Twi'lek dancer, and yet her violet eyes held a deadly fire. Just by that dark look in her dark eyes, as well as her stance, you could easily tell that this was not a person you wanted to approach unless you had reason too. Otherwise, you just wanted to stay clear away from her.

"Ow!" Carth grunted when Sarin elbowed him in the rib. Only then did he realize that he had been staring at the Twi'lek master. She, however, didn't even seem to take notice of them. She moved to the back of the room as though she were the only person in the cantina, and took a seat at the counter. The Rodian server looked at her, and asked, in his own tongue, if she wanted the usual. The only reply she made was a slight tip of her head, which appeared to be an affirmative. The Rodian then filled a glass, and slid it down the counter.

In spite of herself, Belaya shivered. "I have a bad feeling about this," she whispered, and took another sip from her drink.

Sarin glanced at Belaya, then focused on Yuthura again. Sarin's mouth quirked, and the vain part of her-the part that was still Revan-wondered if Belaya may have trembled before her while she was still the Dark Lord of the Sith. Sarin sighed at herself, disgusted with the thought, and shoved it away. It was obvious that she still had her vanity, and her pride... she would need to keep both in check, especially here on Korriban.

"Wait here," Sarin murmured. "I'll go talk to her

Yuthura Ban was very intrigued by the raw power she'd sensed within Sarin Jast, as the human woman stood before her and introduced herself. The Twi'lek master seemed to sense that there was something odd about Sarin, but quickly shrugged it off, apparently deciding that Sarin was nothing more than a young Hopeful who had an unusually strong connection to the Force.

Carth and Belaya remained seated at the counter, trying to act casual while they sipped their drinks, watching Sarin and the Sith Master interacting out of the corner of their eyes. Unfortunately, neither of them could hear any of the discussion. However, they could deduce by the expressions on their faces that Yuthura was definitely interested in Sarin's abilities, and that Sarin was making some headway.

Finally, Yuthura and Sarin rose from their seats and began to head toward the door, deep in conversation. As they passed by where Carth and Belaya were sitting, the latter two managed to overhear a snippet of conversation: the Sith Master was taking Sarin to the Academy. Apparently Sarin had succeeded, and had been accepted as a Sith student.

Carth and Belaya exchanged glances. If the Star Map they were looking for was somewhere beyond the Academy, then Sarin was their ticket to get to it. And yet, all of that Dark Side influence... neither of them were certain if they liked the idea of Sarin going in there, all alone. Yet as she and Yuthura passed by the end of the counter, where Carth and Belaya were seated, Sarin shot them a glance, then winked, offering a small smile. Then she turned her attention back to the Sith Master. They silently left the cantina and headed out of Dreshdae, toward the Sith Academy.

"I'm not sure if I like this," Belaya murmured, draining the last few drops of Juma. She then shoved the cup away, and shook her head when the waiter offered her a refill.

"I don't like it either," Carth said. "But you and I both know that this is the only way. Besides, if she could make a deal with whatever that creature was in Manaan's ocean, and still get the Star Map on the sea floor, I think she can make it through this."

Belaya nodded slowly. "The Force is strong with her... and the Force uses those whom it pleases. Yet... there is still freedom of choice. I'm worried that those dark influences inside the cave may have a terrible effect on her. And if she begins to give into the Dark Side... she could very well become Lord Revan again."

"I know," Carth murmured thoughtfully, folding his hands on the counter before him. "But everything I've seen her do so far-heck I've even seen her thoughts, and saw her soul for what it is. You know, when she reached out telepathically to contact that creature-the one she called the 'Mother'. I saw the kind of person she really is; she has chosen to use her power to do good."

"Yes, I've observed the same things myself," Belaya interrupted. "But you know as well as I do that there is a darkness within everyone. And I can tell that Sarin... is a person who is still trying to figure out who she is. She's not Revan anymore, but..."

"But?" Carth prodded when she fell silent.

Belaya sighed. "But she's not really Sarin Jast either. Right now... I firmly believe she's struggling between those two identities, trying to figure out who she is."

"Well, at least this mission gives her something to focus on," Carth pointed out. "She won't let us down-she knows as well as we do that the only way to stop the Sith, and save the Republic is to find all of those Star Maps. It might be the only way to save herself as well."

"True," Belaya nodded. "However, who is to say that, once our mission is completed..." Her mouth tightened into a thin line, then she went on. "When this mission is completed, she may allow the darkness to engulf her again. Once you've tasted that kind of power, Onasi, it can be very difficult to resist. Even if it was another lifetime ago, and even if she is a different person now. She still remembers the taste of the Dark Side, and it's still as alluring as ever.' She looked Carth squarely in the eyes. 'I know, because although I have never embraced the Dark Side, I am often tempted by its lure as well.'

'So you're saying that she might crack while she's in that Academy?' Carth asked, narrowing his eyes.

'I'm just saying that it is a possibility. She has been here once before, you know. With her former apprentice.'

'Well, I think at least one of us should try and figure out a way to get in there with her,' Carth said, already rising. 'We can't just let her do this alone.'

'Agree,' Belaya said, rising from her stool. 'There must be something we can do.'

They certainly tried. Belaya attempted to use Force-Persuade on the Sith solider guarding the entrance to the Academy, but the man had been conditioned to resist mental influence. He had pointed his blaster rifle at them and told them both to leave at once.

So Carth and Belaya went back into Dreshdae, and tried to think of something else they could try. So they both asked around, and Belaya ended up speaking briefly with a pair of Hopefuls, whom were hoping to get into the Academy. Apparently one of the ways to get in was to be given some sort of medal by one of the Sith students, or even a Sith Master. But the final decision was up to Yuthura and the head master, Uthar.

Belaya thanked the Hopefuls for the information, then she and Carth returned to the Cantina to talk about it. The Rodian waiter served them each another round of Juma without asking, apparently assuming that they wanted more. Carth merely shoved a few credits at the Rodian to pay for the drinks, saying 'Keep the change,' and then he and Belaya pretended to sip their Juma while they walked.

'If I can somehow get one of those medals,' Belaya whispered, glancing around to make certain no one was listening, 'I could get into the academy.'

'But what about me?' Carth asked. 'I am not going to stay on the ship while you both are in a building full of Sith, where anything could happen.'

Belaya looked like she was about to argue, but she could tell by his face that he was dead set on going in. She sighed; she knew very well that they did not have time to argue. 'Maybe they'll let you in as my servant,' she finally said. 'But if this is going to work, you can't go in there dressed like that.'

Carth subconsciously glanced down at himself. She was right; with his nice-looking orange jacket, and most especially the utility belt carrying his blasters and one or two other trinkets, he did not look like a slave. One could argue that he didn't exactly look like a Republic soldier either-in fact, he could have been a freelance mercenary for all the Sith knew. But it was obvious he was no servant, and if anyone searched him, they would find his ID card in his pocket.

'Let's go back to the ship,' Carth said.

'I'll wait here.'

'No, we're both going back together.'

'Why? You don't trust me?'

'In a word? No.' Carth held up a finger before she could protest. 'You mean well, and I trust you not to stab your lightsaber into my back. But this is the only way I can be sure you won't try to slip off without me, 'for my own good'.'

Belaya rolled her eyes and shot him an exasperated look. 'Sarin was right to call you 'Captain Paranoid',' she muttered out of the corner of her mouth. 'Do you think I would be stupid enough to leave you alone on this planet, and go off by myself to find Sarin, knowing that you'll probably be Mr. Hero and get yourself into trouble, just so you can keep an eye on us?'

'Oh, she called me that, did she?' Carth said, the corners of his mouth quirking. Then he turned serious. 'Look, I didn't mean it that way, Belaya. Well... I guess I did, in a way. But I also believe that it would be best if we stayed together. I'm a soldier, you're a Jedi-and we're both on a planet that's crawling with Sith. If we get into trouble, we would have a better chance at getting out of it together, rather than separate.'

'In that case, let's hurry,' Belaya said, already rising from her stool. 'On a world full of Sith, like you just said... Sarin is going to need our help. At least there is a good chance she does.'

With that, they left the Cantina, headed for the Ebon Hawk.

The Rodian waiter watched then as they left, then turned and looked at their untouched glasses of Juma juice. He stared at them for a moment, then looked at the entrance/exit again, to make certain they weren't coming back. Then he shrugged and picked up one of the cups, drinking deeply from it.

Belaya waited near the exit ramp of the Hawk while Carth went to his room to change. After about ten minutes or so, the Republic Captain came back, looking nothing like he had just a few moments ago. He was now wearing a plain, dull gray jumpsuit with a brownish jacket, which looked slightly tattered. Somehow his hair was a bit ruffled up as well.

'Where did you get that outfit?' Belaya asked, raising a brow.

'I always keep some regular, civilian clothes one hand for... these kinds of situations,' Carth answered.

'I see,' Belaya said. 'Well, it does come in handy, I suppose. Anyway, let's go.'

They both walked down the exit ramp and had just re-entered Dreshdae when, to their utter surprise, Sarin herself rounded the corner!

'There you are,' Sarin murmured, standing before them with her hands on her hips. She was now clothed in a Dark Jedi robe, complete with black boots and black gloves. Her new attire contrasted the fairness of her skin. For all practical purposes, she now looked like one of the Sith, and her intense eyes helped to complete that image. Her lightsaber hung from a black belt around her waste.

'Didn't take you long to get acclimated,' Belaya muttered.

Without a word, Sarin reached out and grabbed Belaya's wrist, placing a flat, round object against her palm. Sarin then withdrew her hand, and nodded toward the item indicatively.

'...What is this?' Belaya asked in puzzlement, studying the trinket Sarin had handed her. 'Oh,' she gasped softly, suddenly realizing what it was.

'What is it?' Carth asked.

'It's one of the Sith medallions-like the ones we were told about,' Belaya answered. 'Of course,' she went on, looking from the medal to Sarin, 'now that you've been accepted into the Academy, you can vouch for Hopefuls, correct?'

'I can vouch, yes,' Sarin nodded. 'I can select those I deem worthy, so to speak. But the final decision is up to Master Uthar within the Academy.' She nodded at them both. 'Come with me.'

The trio headed down the corridor toward the other end of Dreshdae, in the direction of the Academy. They passed a few Hopefuls along the way, who looked at Sarin with awe, and looked at Belaya with unveiled envy when they saw the medal she carried. One or two of the Hopefuls tried to get Sarin's attention, but she merely glared at them and then acted like they didn't exist. In true Sith fashion.

Once they exited Dreshdae, they walked the short distance to the Academy's entrance. The guard inquired about the pair of people who accompanied Sarin, especially since he recognized them. But he finally shrugged and let them pass, giving Sarin a firm warning that they were now her responsibility.

The interior of the Academy was awesome, and in some ways it was very similar to that of the Jedi enclave on Dantooine. The only difference was that this place had torture rooms in one area, plus the entire enclave was fairly dark. There was enough light to see by, but it was like being in a dark alleyway. The walls, floor and ceiling were made of dark stone, and one could see areas that were cracked and chipped with age. There were even a few places that wore scars of lightsaber duels; some deeper and more aggressive than others. Some could have been simply sparring matches, but there were at least a couple that looked like remnants of a far more serious duel.

Masters Yuthura and Uthar were standing in the center of the common area, and they looked to be discussing something. Sarin paused, glancing at her companions, then nodded slightly. 'Follow me, but let me do the talking,' she whispered. 'Belaya, don't speak unless spoken too. And Carth... don't say a word. You're just a slave.' She winked mischievously, then turned serious as she lead her friends toward the Sith Masters.

As the trio approached, the Masters halted their discussion and turned to look at them. 'Ah, I see you have brought some companions, young one,' Uthar said.

Sarin stood with her back straight and stiff, her legs together, and her hands folded behind her back. 'Master Uthar, I am here to vouch for a Hopeful.'

'Indeed,' Uthar said, looking Belaya over with his keen, dark eyes.

'You were just accepted into the Academy a couple of hours ago, and you are already looking for prospects?' Yuthura said. 'That is... rather ambitious of you.' It was difficult to tell by her tone whether she disapproved or was impressed. Her face was difficult to read.

'Well, let's see what we have here,' Uthar said without even looking at his second-in-command. 'What is your name, young one?'

'I am Belaya,' came the simple reply.

'Belaya,' Uthar repeated. 'I think it's safe to say that you have had some training,' he murmured, eyeing the lightsaber she carried. 'Tell me: what do you know of the Sith? What pre-conceptions has your mind been polluted with?'

Belaya glanced at Sarin out of the corner of her eye, but Uthar continued to look at her intently, expecting an answer. Sarin never took her eyes off the Masters, and gave no indication of what Belaya should do or say. Belaya cleared her throat, then said, 'I've always... thought of the Sith as strong and worthy adversaries. A force to be reckoned with.'

'A diplomatic answer, though not the heart of the matter,' Uthar said. He folded his arms and looked at Sarin, who returned his gaze but otherwise remained motionless. Uthar then turned to face his pupil. 'Yuthura, what do you think? I would like your opinion.'

'This young woman is strong in the Force,' Yuthura replied. 'Not as strong as Sarin, but then again, she isn't any less strong than any of the other prospects we have accepted.'

'Indeed, my thoughts exactly,' Uthar said. 'Well, since Sarin has apparently spotted some worth in this one... we shall accept her. In fact, we will go one step further; Belaya will compete with Sarin, Lashowe, Mekel, Shardaan to gain enough prestige to become a Sith.' He turned back to Belaya. 'This means you will be competing with the others. The one who does the most to prove their worth will face the final test, in the tomb of Naga Sadow.'

'What is the significance of this tomb?' Belaya asked curiously.

Yuthura chimed in. 'It was once visited by Darth Revan and Darth Malak. Reaching that map, just as they did, is the goal. You must face obstacles in order to do so.'

Sarin and Belaya exchanged glances, but neither said a word. Again, Belaya spoke, asking a question. 'That map... how old is it?'

'No one knows,' Yuthura shrugged. 'It is an ancient artifact, though. It could have been there for thousands of years. But the map's origin is irrelevant; the goal is for each apprentice to do his or her part to earn enough prestige to prove himself or herself worthy. Reaching that map is merely the final test.'

'Now, there is just one more thing,' Uthar said. His dark eyes were now resting on Carth. 'Who is this?'

'He's my slave,' Belaya said. Sarin glanced at her sharply, then the corner of her mouth quirked.

'Very well,' Uthar said. 'Your slave may remain within the enclave, and he may assist you and even accompany you. But make certain he does not disrupt your studies or get in the way; he is your responsibility.'

'Yes, sir,' Belaya said, and bowed low. She and Sarin were now competitors, it seemed. However, with each of them attempting to earn prestige, it would still work to their advantage. Perhaps one of them would be able to earn enough in order to beat all the others.

Later that night, when everyone else was either asleep, meditating, or training somewhere within the Academy, Carth, Belaya, and Sarin met in Belaya's quarters. Throughout the day, Belaya and Sarin had gone through a standard series of lightsaber exercises and Force-training, and had impressed their Sith teachers. Carth on the other hand had been forced to stay behind in Belaya's quarters, making her bed, cleaning her extra robes, and such.

'We we first came into the Academy, I didn't think I'd get stuck in your room pretending to be your housemaid,' Carth grumbled at Belaya, as she entered the room with Sarin.

'Someone has to do the laundry,' Sarin teased, then quickly wiped her smug grin off her face when she saw his expression. 'Don't worry, we won't be here too long,' she said in a more somber tone. 'I hope.'

'We also discovered that Master Uthar doesn't care if slaves accompany their masters, and even assist them, while they're out trying to earn prestige,' Belaya said.

Carth let out an exasperated breath. 'So you're telling me that while I've been in here doing the laundry, sweeping the floor and fluffing up your pillows, I could have been out there helping?'

'Well, we didn't find this out until today,' Sarin said, sitting down on the edge of Belaya's bunk. Belaya remained standing.

'Alright,' Carth said resignedly, and sat down on the edge of the bed beside Sarin. 'What have you found out?'

'I can't stay too long,' Sarin said. 'We can't be seen together-it'll make everyone suspicious. You and Belaya can work together and earn prestige, and I'll go off on my own and do the same. We'll start as early as we can tomorrow.' She rose, placing a hand on Carth's shoulder. 'See you tomorrow, if I can,' she said. Then, with an impish twinkle in her eye, she leaned forward and gave Carth a peck on the cheek. Then, as quick as lightening, she vanished from the room.

Carth looked at the door, for a moment staring in the direction she had gone, raising his eyebrows. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

Belaya blinked, then slowly turned back to face Carth, her face neutral. Carth had no way of knowing if the scene had amused her or not. 'Well, seeing how there's only one bed, and you're going to have to spend the night in here since you're my 'slave',' she said slowly, 'you can take the bed if you want. I'll sleep on the floor.' They had already previously agreed to this, since this was a building full of Sith. Carth was a trained soldier, but he was still no Jedi. And since everyone within the Enclave would consider Carth as nothing more than a Sith-in-training's property, they'd figured that just to be safe, Carth should stay near his 'master' at all times.

'No, it's alright,' Carth said. 'I'll sleep on the floor. As a soldier I've slept in worse conditions than this during the Mandalore War, and even in more recent battles.'

Belaya opened her mouth, then closed it. 'Actually, that might be better, in case someone looks in here,' she said. 'It would look pretty strange if someone's slave sleeps in her bed while she slept on the floor. But,' she said, sitting on the edge of her bunk and grabbing a pillow, 'I don't really need a cushion all that much. Here.' She tossed it to him.

'Thanks,' Carth said. With that, Belaya settled down on her bed and, feeling a little guilty as she glanced at Carth, closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. Carth on the other hand had to make do with the pillow Belaya had given him, but he too eventually fell asleep. Though he was more than certain he would have a stiff neck and a sore back when he woke up in the morning.

The first thing Sarin Jast learned very quickly about Master Uthar was that he was far, far more observant than he appeared. It seemed that, somehow, he was aware of almost everything that the students within his Academy did, even though everyone who sought him out could almost always find him in the center chamber, meditating.

And somehow, he seemed to be observing her far more than any other student. She was wary of this at first, for he had told her on more than one occasion that he'd sensed something very strange about her. And even Yuthura had said the same thing as well. Both Sith Masters had said to her face that there was something odd about her, something that they couldn't quite put their finger on. But that she was indeed very powerful.

The Force seems to have a way of whispering things, distantly sometimes, she thought as she now crouched behind a large rock, in the middle of the Valley of Dark Lords, though thankfully, if one isn't sure what it's saying, or how to listen to it properly, it's faint whispers can remain a mystery.

She knew full well that this "odd feeling" the Sith Masters had about her was, in one way or another, the knowledge she was once Revan. She frowned slightly, remembering a conclusion that she-no, Revan-had once made; the Force held all knowledge, but in general, even those who were highly skilled and trained in the Force could always be too stupid and arrogant to attain all answers, all knowledge. It didn't matter if you were Sith, or Jedi, or somewhere in-between. The mind worked in mysterious ways, and every living being had its flaws, and it's failings.

How often have I overlooked an obvious answer to one of life's struggles, simply because I let my pride get in the way? Or because I was too ignorant or arrogant to see it? Sarin shrugged at the thought. It did not matter now.

Either way, at least if the Masters paid her more attention, it would take some of their focus off Belaya and Carth, and perhaps give them an advantage they needed. However, she also knew that she needed to do her very best, simply because the Masters were watching her more closely than the others, and she couldn't risk giving them a reason to suspect her and her true purpose for being here.

She glanced over the top of the rock, being careful not to be seen. The Sith archaeologists ignored everyone who passed through the Valley, unless they were approached and spoken to directly. Where are you? Sarin thought, sweeping her gaze across the yellowish/brown, sandy ground of the Valley. The rock which she was crouched behind was between the tombs of Tulak Hord and Naga Sadow.

There were four tombs in this Valley. From the angle where one walked in from the Academy, the first tomb on your left would be that of Marka Ragnos, and the first on your right would be that of Ajunta Pal. Further down, on the right, there was the tomb of Freedon Nadd, and directly across from it was the tomb of Naga Sadow. She glanced over at the latter-most tomb thoughtfully, knowing that what she sought lay in there, and yet she needed to gain enough prestige in order to enter. For none of the students could enter without Master Uthar.

She narrowed her eyes as she studied the tomb from a distance. She could vaguely remember... things about the tomb. It was nothing clear, but she could remember bits and snatches. Her and Malak discovering the way to get into the tomb, and then showing Uthar how it was done, after they'd agreed to put him in charge of the Academy on Korriban...

Damn you, Malak, she thought bitterly. Even though he was dead-killed by her own hand-his name continued to haunt her.

"There you are!" called out a voice. Sarin's head glanced up, and she saw Lashowe approaching. "I thought I was going to have to hunt all over for you!" the blonde-haired woman said, scowling. "Come on, we agreed we would get that Jedi holocron, so let's do it."

"Yes," Sarin said, activating her lightsaber. Lashowe did likewise, though she stared at Sarin's lightsaber. "I don't think I've ever seen that color before," she murmured. "What is that? A beige crystal? Brown?"

Sarin shrugged. "I call it chocolate," she quipped.

Lashowe snorted. "Well, it is in interesting color," she murmured. "Who gave it to you? Maybe I can find one like it."

"It was given to me by a... friend, who isn't with me now."

Lashowe quirked her eyebrows. "Ahhh, I see," she said knowingly. "And, I'm sure, in true Sith fashion, you fought him to the death, and then partook his possessions?"

Sarin feigned a "How did you know that?" look.

Lashowe smirked. "Happens all the time around here. If you think someone's about to best you, you get them first, on your terms, so you get the upper hand. Or if they have something you want, you kill them and take it. Or if it's both, well, you can kill two mynocks with one grenade."

With that, they ceased their conversation and slowly headed toward the mouth of the nearer Tomb, the one where Freedan Nadd's mummified remains were located. "Shhh," Lashowe said, "the holocron is in the gullet of a Tu'aka mother-and I heard she's a tough beast, and she's always with her three pups, which are nearly grown. This will not be easy."

"How do we proceed?" Sarin asked, standing at the ready.

Lashowe took a couple steps forward, but kept a wary eye on Sarin. The blonde woman was apparently trusting enough to cooperate with Sarin on this task, but not trusting enough to completely turn her back on the other woman. As if to confirm this, she gestured Sarin forward. "Come stand next to me. I will call to the beast in her own language, and she should respond. Be ready."

Sarin did as she was bid, then Lashowe kneeled in the sand, then began to make a series of eerie animal sounds, which sounded like the cross-between of grunting and howling. Sarin glanced around to see if anyone was looking. On this world, you had to stay on your toes. You never knew if someone was stalking you, ready to take something you had found in order to take credit for it and earn prestige for themselves. However, no one seemed to be paying them any attention.

Finally, a snarl erupted from within the Tomb, as the animal responded. Then out came the Tu'aka they sought, followed by her three younglings. The largest one was obviously the mother-the one which had swallowed the holocron-but her three pups were only slightly smaller than herself.

"Now we fight!" Lashowe cried, almost gleefully. Sarin could feel her bathing in the power of the Dark Side, letting it flow through her as she drank it up, just before they both attacked the beasts. Immediately there was a flurry of hands, feet, lightsabers, teeth and claws which caused enough racket to get the attention of some of the nearby students and archaeologists. However, the fight was over almost as quickly as it had begun, with the slashed remains of the beasts lying at Lashowe's and Sarin's feet. Their clothing had received a few tears, and Sarin had a small gash on her arm while Lashowe had a small chunk taken out of her left leg, just below her knee. She limped a little on it, but she smiled proudly as she stooped down and sliced open the belly of the mother Tu'aka with her lightsaber. Then, she reached in and claimed her prize.

"At last!" Lashowe said, laughing triumphantly. "A powerful Jedi holocron." She turned it over in her fingers, shakily rising to her feet. She brushed away some of the gore, then wiped it off on the edge of her torn robe. "Such a small thing to be worth so much," she said.

Sarin nodded, touching the small wound on her arm, using the Force to stop the bleeding and seal her injured flesh. Again she glanced around, but it seemed that no one was paying them any attention any longer. They had gone back to what they were doing as though nothing had happened.

"Let's take it back to Master Uthar now," Sarin said indicatively.

"Right," Lashowe said, beaming. "I'll just run along now, you can wait here if you where. I'll be sure to mention your assistance, of course."

"No," Sarin said firmly. "We'll take it back together."

"That wasn't part of the deal," Lashowe said, narrowing her eyes. "You would assist me in getting this holocron, and you have. Now-"

"You're going to double-cross me, I know it," Sarin stated matter-of-factly. "We go to Uthar together, or not at all."

"Over my dead body!" Lashowe snarled, re-activating her lightsaber. She had slipped the holocron into a pocket of her robe, and she now attacked Sarin with as much ferocity as she had the Tu'akas during the battle.

It had been rumored that a few renegade Sith students were hiding out in a cave on Korriban. It was as good a lead as any to start with, so that was where Belaya and Carth were headed. Sarin had apparently woken up at an earlier hour and headed out, because neither of them had seen her anywhere within the Academy. They figured she was probably in the Valley, investigating the tombs.

The cave mouth was dark, and looked almost like it belonged to a living creature, one that was inviting unsuspecting victims to wander in.

"We'll have to be careful when we go in there," Carth murmured. Belaya nodded in agreement. And with that they slowly went into the cave, moving cautiously.

Carth winced slightly as he and Belaya proceeded through the cave. Partly because it was so dark, and they were mostly relying on the light from Belaya's lightsaber to find their way. And partly because his neck, shoulders, and back were sore and stiff after he'd been forced to sleep on the floor in Belaya's quarters. But overall, it wasn't all that bad, and he knew he could live with it.

As they went, he found himself thinking of Sarin again. He thought about the kiss she'd given him right before she had left for the night. He shook his head, feeling a wave of confusion welling up inside him. He'd been feeling conflicting emotions ever since... Manaan, actually. Their minds had touched briefly, when Sarin had reached out to communicate with the Mother Firaxin Shark. It was not something he could put into words, it was more of a feeling, and something he had seen within her, only it wasn't with his eyes. He had seen her spirit, a goodness within her, something that had proved to him that she was no longer Revan.

It was like seeing what she looked like on the inside, and not just on the outside, he thought. She has her flaws, sure, but she's even more beautiful inside... He let out a soft, wistful sigh. He wished he had gotten the opportunity to see what Morgana, his wife, had looked like on the inside...

He paused in mid-stride. That was not the first time he had compared Sarin to his wife...

"Hey," Belaya said in a hushed tone, "I thought I heard something."

Carth snapped out of his reverie, and the two of them approached the sound cautiously. Carth held his blaster at the ready, and Belaya held her lightsaber at the ready as well, even as she continued to use it as a light source.

They came into a wide chamber within the cave, where a small campfire could be seen. It was on the verge of dying, having burnt up nearly all of its fuel. But Carth and Belaya barely noticed the fire-what they did notice was the broken and bloodied bodies on the cave floor, with half a dozen mynocks swarming over the bodies, making a meal of them. There were signs of battle-a few dead mynocks lay on the ground, but in the end, it looked like the beasts had gotten the better of the people who had been here.

"I see a lightsaber on the ground, near one of the bodies," Belaya whispered. When the light from her own weapon caught her eyes, Carth could see them widening with horror. "These are the renegade Sith students..."

"Looks like the beasts of this cave got to them before anyone else could," Carth replied.

"We could have helped them escape, but now... it is too late," Belaya said.

"Come on, we need to get going."

Belaya continued to stare at the scene for a moment-or what little of it she could see with the light of her weapon-then nodded. They left the area quietly, not wanting to attract unwanted attention from the animals. But they seemed to pre-occupied with their meals to even notice them.

Sarin collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily. Lashowe had proven to be a formidable opponent, even more so than Sarin had anticipated. In the end, she'd managed to drive her lightsaber into Lashowe's chest, but not before Lashowe had wounded her.

Sarin now lay on the ground, clutching her chest. Thankfully her foe's blade didn't have the chance to go too deep, or do much damage, but she now had a chest wound that stung and burned. Not only that, but Lashowe's lightsaber blade had plunged into her shoulder, and cleanly removed her left hand from her arm. Sarin knew she needed to keep her wits about her, because here on Korriban, she was on her own. She would be considered nothing more than a hindrance now, and most people would be more likely to finish her off than help her. The less competition the better, after all.

Then, things got worse. A tall, dark-haired young man-whom she recognized as Mekel-came over to look at the scene. He smirked, then knelt down beside Lashowe's fallen form, searching through her pockets. When he found the Jedi holocron, his eyes lit up. "I knew it," he murmured aloud, then he slipped the device into his pocket.

Sarin watched him, sighing inwardly, but she did not move or make a sound. She did, however, flinch a bit when Mekel came over to her side and began to search her over as though she were a worthless corpse.

Mekel jumped a little when she moved. "Oh, I had not realized you were still alive," he remarked. "Though you don't see to have much of value on you anyway, except for a few credits, which I have taken." He patted his pocket. "I think this Holocron will get me considerable prestige. And I'd say that I have you to thank, in part, for helping me get it. So, as a token of appreciation, I'll let you live. Besides," he chuckled wickedly, "you'll die here soon enough anyway. It's not like anyone's going to help you out."

"Don't do me any favors," Sarin replied with a glare, her voice sounding raspy to her own ears.

Mekel kicked her in the side, causing her lightsaber to fall from her grasp and roll out of reach. "Hmmm," Mekel murmured, bending down again. He picked up Sarin's lightsaber, then grabbed Lashowe's. "I could always use a couple of spares, and neither of you will be needing these," he said. He smirked at Sarin one last time, then turned and ran off, heading back in the direction of the Sith Academy.

Sarin could only lie there on the ground, and watch helplessly. She felt her strength ebbing away slowly, and she believed she knew why. One of the Tu'aka had bitten her, and she believed that some of its poison had gotten into her system. That combined with these injuries was enough to drain her strength away, and it was slowly draining her life away as well. She closed her eyes, trying to summon the power of the Force to preserve her life. The Jedi Masters had saved her life once, given her a chance at a new life... but now, she lay here on a place where no one cared, and where no one could easily get to her if they did. Especially not the Jedi Masters...

Belaya, she thought through the Force. Belaya and Carth were her only hope, and perhaps she could reach the Jedi woman through the Force. Belaya...

When Carth and Belaya re-entered the Academy, intending to meet in Belaya's quarters and come up with a new strategy, they saw something that made them stop dead in their tracks. They could see a pair of Sith students standing before Uthar, each one ready to present something to him. And Uthar looked quite pleased and impressed with them both.

Shardaan presented to Uthar the sword of Ajunta Pal, and announced that a renegade droid within Marka Ragnos' tomb had been destroyed. Mekel brought fourth a Jedi Holocron, and a tablet which had some writings from Uthar's former master. After speaking with each of them, Uthar informed them both that they had earned considerable prestige, but not enough yet to be chosen. So the two young men went their separate ways, no doubt eager to find more ways to earn Uthar's favor.

"Great, so they're way ahead of us," Belaya sighed.

"Hold on," Carth whispered into her ear, "did you see the lightsabers on Mekel's belt?"

"Yeah, seems strange he had more than one. Probably stole them, or killed their owners."

"One of them was Sarin's! Didn't you see it?"

Belaya stared at him. "What?"

Whatever Carth said in reply was drowned out by a "voice" crying out, reaching out to her in her mind. Belaya...

"She's in trouble!" Belaya said, already moving. "She's out there, in the Valley-come on!"

0o0o0o0o0o0

Sarin stared upward, helplessly, at the golden-orange sky of Korriban. The sun shone down on her intensely, heating the dusty sand all around her and making her feel as though she was being cooked alive. The fact that she was thirsty and her mouth was dry, along with the hot breeze blowing sand into her face and getting into her wounds, only worsened her discomfort.

The lightsaber wounds in her chest and shoulder stung and burned, and when the wind-blown sand blew across the injuries, it made them feel like they were on fire. Her right hand was tightly pressed against the bloody stub of her left wrist, where her left hand used to be. It was her attempt to stop the bleeding, or at the very least, to shelter it from the harsh conditions she was in.

The poison in her body was still eating away at her strength, and she was finding it more difficult to breath. Belaya, she called out again through the Force. I need help...

I am coming, came Belaya's "voice" through the Force. I will be there soon.

Sarin frowned slightly, and grimaced as another gust of wind blew sand into her face, getting it into her eyes and nose. She squeezed her eyes shut, groaning, and let go of her bloody wrist to swipe at her eyes. However this only caused her to smear blood on her face.

This is getting me nowhere, she thought, and struggled to get to her feet. But, like any other attempt, it failed with her falling back down onto the ground. She cried out as the pain and discomfort intensified momentarily.

She resisted the urge to cry out to Belaya again, but she was getting desperate. She could tell time was running out, and of all the places where she had to get severely wounded, she had to wind up out in the Valley on Korriban, where some individuals would be happy if you died just because it would eliminate some competition, or at least lessen the chance of getting backstabbed by a lightsaber.

The last thing she heard before the world around her went black was the sound of footsteps rushing toward her.

Belaya and Carth reached Sarin's side at the same time. "Sarin!" Carth cried out, kneeled beside her, as Belaya attempted to pour healing Force-energy into her wounded flesh.

"This isn't good," Belaya said. She glanced around, at the dead bodies nearby. "I wouldn't be surprised if one of those beasts poisoned her," she added, pointing toward one of the dead tu'akas.

"We need to get her help," Carth said.

"We shouldn't take her back to the Academy," Belaya said. "It's too dangerous-someone might kill her there, because she would be too weak to defend herself. And we can't act like her bodyguards, because we would blow our cover. I'm supposed to be her rival, not her bodyguard!" Belaya fell silent, frowning, concentrating on trying to stabilize her condition with aide of the Force.

"Well where can we take her?" Carth asked. "Like you said we can't risk blowing our cover, but that means we can't just carry her back through the Academy into Dreshdae to get her help-and Belaya, she needs help!"

Belaya's shoulders slumped, and all of a sudden she looked drained and exhausted, as though she had poured all of her available energy into Sarin, and then some. She looked so drained that Carth immediately reached out and grabbed her shoulders, steadying her, preventing her from collapsing on top of Sarin.

"The caves," Belaya asked simply. "We'll take her to the caves."

Carth hesitated, but then nodded. He glanced down at Sarin, who was lying lifelessly on the ground before him. And yet somehow, it seemed like her condition had improved, thanks to Belaya... or perhaps it was just wishful thinking. He had no way of knowing.

"Then let's go-let's get her out of here," Carth said. Once he was certain Belaya wasn't about to collapse or pass out, he gently took Sarin into his arms, cradling her head against his shoulder, and then he and Belaya began to make their way across the Valley, toward the caves. Belaya kept up with his hurried pace, but at the same time, she looked like she was about ready to drop.

Yuthura Ban furrowed her brow as she looked through the records within the Academy's main computer one more time, to confirm what she'd already read. The computer contained much knowledge, not only on matters that involved the Academy directly-such as the names of students and records of their progress and achievements-but also other knowledge as well, such as history, and some sketchy data on people who had been accepted into the Jedi Academy on Coruscant, or even Dantooine. However most of that knowledge was unofficial, and it was only there for convenience, so that the Sith Masters would have some kind of background on the Force-sensitive individuals should they one day end up at the Sith Academy.

When she checked into information on Sarin Jast, she was a bit puzzled. Even when she used various other connections outside the Academy to try and gain some information on her background, she was a little surprised to find that apparently the young human had never been discovered as having Force potential. Although Yuthura knew that it was sometimes possible that some people did not become Jedi, or they were never discovered to be Force-sensitive until they were beyond the age where the Jedi would accept them.

Yuthura rolled her eyes at the thought. The Jedi were fools. They frowned on the idea of love, and they only accepted the youngest of children to be brainwashed into that Order of theirs. It was a wonder that their Order survived at all, because surely it meant that the only way to get new pupils was to continually locate children from families outside the Order and hopefully persuade the parents to allow them to take their children. Apparently it was their belief that the Force would always pick and choose those who were destined to become Jedi. However, the Sith would oneday grow stronger, and grow in numbers. Yuthura was certain of this, because the Sith didn't care about age, at least in most cases. Only the strong were accepted, and only the strong survived-the weak were killed, or else ignored. It was as simple as that.

For a moment, she briefly thought back to her time among the Jedi, where she had received her first training. For an instant, she recalled the beautiful, endless plains of Dantooine, the gentle breeze that rippled through the grass, and the sense of peace and tranquility. But she quickly brushed off the thought with a shake of her head. One day, there would be no more Jedi. They were weak fools, and it was the strong who always survived in the end. She knew that, when she had joined the Sith, she had made the correct decision.

The Twi'lek Master shook her head and shut off the console. She had spent every spare moment she wasn't training or coaching some of the students looking up information about Sarin. There was just something very odd about her... and it wasn't the background check that left Yuthura puzzled. It was what her senses told her about Sarin, as though the human was once something else, something much more than she was right now. However, checking out the available information on the woman was proving to be fruitless, so Yuthura figured she might as well give it up, at least for today. But she did know that her senses would prove to be correct-they were rarely wrong, especially when the sense would not go away.

She then left her office, and headed toward Master Uthar's quarters. She was the only person who could enter freely other than Uthar himself. She could sense he was already there, even as she approached the doorway. She inserted her datapad, which granted her access. The door slid open, and she entered.

Sure enough, Uthar was there. He was seated on the edge of the bed, holding a holocron in his hands, his eyes half-closed with concentration. Yuthura couldn't tell if he was accessing what was recorded on it, or if he was recording his thoughts onto it himself. But she chose to wait until he was finished before she spoke to him-she was confident he already knew she was there. He merely did not like to be disturbed when he was busy with a holocron.

Yuthura walked around to sit on the opposite side of the bed, where she pulled off her shoes, and tossed them to the opposite side of the room. The noise seemed to disturb Uthar slightly, and he seemed to snap out of whatever he was doing with the holocron. He glanced at Yuthura, then reached out and set the holocron on the small wooden table that sat next to the bed.

As he turned to face Yuthura, the Twi'lek asked, "So... were you recording your thoughts, or looking at someone else's?"

"Ah that is a Jedi holocron that one of the students managed to get from the ruins," Uthar said. "From what my sources tell me, Sarin and Lashowe were the ones to work together to get it, but then they battled each other for it and both ended up perishing. So another student retrieved the holocron and brought it to me."

"Interesting," Yuthura frowned. "And most likely not worth much prestige, since he didn't do anything to get it himself," she added automatically, distracted. For some reason, the thought that Sarin had perished over something as small as a holocron... puzzled her a bit. Perhaps it was just what she had sensed about Sarin. Though it was her exactly... it was almost like an echo of something she once was, and if that person had remained, then the human would have been unbeatable in combat.

But the girl was dead now, apparently, so it no longer mattered. However it did complicate things... Yuthura had had high hopes for the girl, all things considered. She'd hoped that she might be able to use her, in the end, to help her defeat Uthar. It was the natural order of things, for the apprentice to replace her Master once she was strong enough. However, since Sarin was gone... she would need to find another way to accomplish this task.

"You seem puzzled," Uthar commented.

"Oh it's nothing," Yuthura said dismissively. "I merely had high hopes for young Sarin, that is all."

"So I noticed," Uthar replied. "I've also noticed that you seem to have taken an unusually keen interest in all of the new recruits."

Yuthura shrugged. "We do want the best and the strongest among our ranks, do we not?"

"Indeed. But I've never seen you so interested in the students before. And don't think that I haven't noticed you've been pouring through the Academy's records, and checking with sources outside the Academy, trying to find out more information about one student in particular-Sarin." He shook his head at her, much like a parent would at a naive child who was just caught with her hand in the cookie jar. "Are you going to tell me what is going on, Yuthura, or not?"

"G-going on?" Yuthura stammered. "I do not know what you mean."

"So you say," Uthar said. "But I have noticed you have been becoming more and more ambitious, Yuthura. There have also been times when you have slipped off during the night, and didn't return until early in the morning." He glared at her. "For all I know, you might be planning to stab me in the back with a dagger one of these nights."

"If I was going to do that, I would have done it a long time ago," Yuthura lied. "After all this time you have known me, you do not trust me?"

"It is precisely because I know you so well that I do not trust you," Uthar stated bluntly. His eyes narrowed. "I am warning you," he said quietly, "if you try anything against me, you will be killed."

Yuthura's eyes widened, and she hastily stood. "You are threatening me?" she said, and glared right back at him. "You wouldn't dare try to harm me."

"Yes I would," Uthar said. "We may have been sharing a bed together for a while now, but that does not mean I ever stopped watching you or being wary. The fact is, if I am killed, then Master Torres would become the new Head Master, by my order. And she would order everyone within the Academy to take you down. And Yuthura, you cannot stand up against everyone."

Yuthura scoffed. "You can't possibly be that stupid," she spat. "Why should anyone recognize anyone else as a Head Master? Let's say I did kill you. Why should the Academy recognize her as the new leader, or follow her orders? If I killed you, then I would have proven myself more powerful-"

"Well perhaps that is the thing," Uthar said. "She has been showing signs of becoming ambitious as well. But in order to become the Head Master, she would have to kill us both. That task would be much easier if I am gone. And frankly, she is becoming very popular among some of the other Sith, in more ways than one-she is probably as charasmatic as Revan was, if not more so. People seem to follow her without question. So I am confident that if I were killed, people would follow her over you, especially since she has friends among the Sith here, and especially since she often grants people the ability to gain more power, one way or another, when they do follow her."

Uthar paused, letting his words sink in, then he continued. "Now, give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you, right here and now."

Yuthura hesitated, but then decided it was finally time to tell him something she had been keeping to herself for about three weeks. He was going to find out eventually anyway, she knew, even if this current situation had not occured. It was the one, final bargaining chip she had. And if nothing else, it might buy her time.

"You wouldn't dare lay a finger on me," she growled. "If you kill me... then you kill your child."

For a moment, it was as though Uthar hadn't even heard what she said. But then his eyelids flickered, and he squinted, as though seeing her for the very first time. He opened his mouth, then closed it again.

"That's right," Yuthura said, a smirk slowly crossing her features. "I am pregnant, with your child."

She knew she had him now. This was something he had not taken into consideration, despite his clever plans and his keen observation skills. It seems that he is not so clever as he believes, she thought with a sneer. And it was one thing she could definitely use to her advantage, right here and now. And it doesn't matter if he has predicted Master Torres' actions now or not, she thought, the human Master's dark-skinned features flashing through her mind.

"So, what are you going to do?" she asked slyly, placing a hand on her belly indicatively.

The caves were not exactly the best place in the world to dwell-it was a dark, damp environment, and Belaya feared that an infection might develop. However they had managed to find a relatively dry place deep within one of the caverns, where they had started a campfire.

Sarin was conscious, but her condition seemed to be deteriorating. There were moments when she was awake and talking, and then she would pass out for several minutes.

"She needs something to drink," Belaya said, once she and Carth managed to get the fire good and hot. "I'll go find and see if I can find some clean water for her."

"I'll stay with her," Carth said, never taking his eyes off Sarin. "Hopefully this fire will keep away the local wildlife."

Belaya nodded. Then, with her lightsaber in hand, she quickly moved away, heading down one of the tunnels.

She didn't activate her lightsaber, for fear that it might actually attract attention from the beasts that dwelled in the cave, but she kept her thumb hovering over the activation button just in case. She was ready to turn on the deadly beam of energy and light, the instant she needed it.

She moved at a steady but cautious pace, knowing that Sarin needed water, and she needed it now. But she needed clean water above all else.

I seriously doubt I'm going to find anything in this damn cave, she thought with a sigh. Not anything suitable, at least-and Sarin needs her wounds to be taken care of as well, not just her need for something to drink. She sighed. She knew where she needed to go... she needed to get back to the Academy itself and get some supplies. If anyone asked why she needed them, she would simply say she was going on an expedition in the Valley, and would need the supplies.

I'll just need to be very careful, and to make sure I'm not followed, she thought.

"Carth?" Sarin said in a barely audible whisper.

"I'm here," Carth replied, and gently took her right hand into his own.

"Belaya's on her way to get water, just hang on..." Carth continued, clutching her hand tight.

"Carth, no..." Sarin slowly said in a hoarse soft tone as she slowly lifted her head up.

"No, it'll be alright, just rest. You need it." Carth told her and tried to lay her head back down.

"No, Carth, stop." Sarin whispered with a cough. "There's no sense in delaying the inevitable. Even a girl like me knows what's coming, I can tell. Quickly, get off the planet, before it's too late..."

Carth shook his head firmly, stubbornly. "I'm not leaving you," he said. "You're going to be fine. Just stay with me, alright? Belaya will be back soon, and then you're going to be just fine."

Sarin coughed again, and this time blood came out of her mouth. "C-Carth," she rasped, "I..." She seemed to choke on her own words, and was obviously having trouble speaking.

With a sheer force of will, she pushed herself up off the ground, just enough to close in the distance between her and Carth's faces, and pressed her lips against his.

Then, with her last bit of strength, she thought to him telepathically, I love you. Her strength then gave way, and she collasped back down onto the ground, but she managed to whisper another message. And you loved me, in spite of everything I... once was.

With that, her eyes closed, never to open again, leaving Carth alone to his newfound grief.

And to his surprise, he felt much like he had the day when Morgana had died, the day when he had held her helplessly, in his arms, screaming for medics, but they didn't get there in time. In this case... there was nothing he could have done either. Even if Belaya had returned with water... well, what could they have done?

Carth wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him, to hold her one last time. She couldn't be dead, she just couldn't be... and yet, he knew that she was.

Gently, he laid her back down on the ground, staring at her beautiful face as he did. Even though she was no long alive, her features remained angelic, nothing like that of a former devil.

A tear escaped the corner of his right eye and rolled down his cheek, vanishing into the hair on his chin. Sarin... he thought, as though thinking her name could somehow summon her back.

But it didn't.

He gently folded her hands atop her chest, then slowly rose. He couldn't bear the thought of leaving her here, but he couldn't risk it... the fire would surely keep the beasts away from her body, and he would return later to give her a proper burial. But for now, he needed to find Belaya.

With that, he turned and moved away, headed in the same direction he'd seen Belaya go.

"You Shutta."

Those two words escaped Uthar's mouth, even as he sat on the edge of the bed like a rigid statue. Yuthura only smiled at him, then slowly sat down on the opposite side of the bed, looking directly into his face.

"I think that means you're aren't going to kill me," she said, patting her belly in an almost proud way. "Correct?" She reached out and began to trace his jawline with her finger seductively, only to have him snatch her hand, gripping it firmly.

"I have no desire to continue this blasted affair, or whatever you want to call it, with you. I am sick of you acting like some seductive street hooker from Taris's lowest streets, I have bigger things to focus on. You only passed the time, my apprentice." Uthar said with a stern tone in his voice as his dark eyes stared into her own eyes.

Her smile merely widened into a grin, and she yanked her hand out of his. "You think you can end our affair, just because you're sick of me?" She threw back her head and laughed, a sound which seemed to tick off Uthar even more.

"If it was that easy," she continued, "you would have simply killed me. But no, you have concern for your unborn child." Again she reached out, and placed a hand on his chest, fingering the fastenings on the front of his Sith robe. "What exactly do you intend to do now?" she purred, her face now merely inches away from his.

"I do this, Yuthura, my dear seductive witch." Uthar, said and suddenly grabbed his lightsaber and ignited it, and laughed as he sliced off one of her lekku.

Yuthura screamed as the pain seared across her lekku, and she shoved away from him, stumbling off of the bed, and ended up landing on the floor, hard, on her bottom.

"You bastard," she hissed through clenched teeth. She pushed herself up off the floor. Then, clutching what little was left of her severed lekku with one hand, she smoothed out her robes with her other hand, with what little dignity she could muster.

"In that case," she spat, "you can sleep by yourself in a cold bed tonight." With that she stormed out of the room, so quickly she didn't even realize she'd forgotten her shoes.

Belaya had re-entered the Academy, and was in search for some supplies. She quickly found one of the supply canisters, where she grabbed some medical supplies, and a small canteen of water, along with some food rations.

As Belaya was heading back to the Valley of the Dark Lords, wanting to get out of the dreadful Academy, though the Valley wasn't any better. All was filled with evil.

Suddenly, since she was lost in thought about Sarin, and trying to get back to her, she bumped right into one of the Sith. The supplies fell out of her hands but before she could lean down to pick them up she was grabbed by her collar.

"What do you think you are doing?" the Sith hissed, it was a male who was slightly tall and had brown hair, but his face was filled with the creses of the Dark Side

Belaya's eyes widened, she knew him. He used to be in the Jedi Order, and they knew each other. She hoped he wouldn't recognize her, but it was too late. "Wait...BELAYA? Is that you? Inside the Sith Academy?"

Belaya could feel nothing but fear now. She had been caught, he would figure out she wasn't truly a Sith. "How funny, I can't feel any darkness in you...you look like a beaming Jedi. So do we have a spy, here?" he asked with a smirk "Oh, Master Uthar shall be interested to hear this..."

"NO, PLEASE!" Belaya screamed out of instinct as he pulled her off.

Later on, about an hour later, Belaya under the orders of Uthar had been imprisoned inside the Academy and was to be tortured. She was in a torture chamber, inside a cage. It was just the right size, but she barely had any space. Belaya had been alone for a good amount of time, and she was trying to replace her fear with peace. But it was difficult, she was terrified of what would happen. She had never been tortured before...or captured. And she knew the Sith were ruthless.

Suddenly, the entrance door open and about four Sith came in. One of them was the prime torturer. He had an evil grin on his face as he walked over to the console.

"You shall never get any information out of me." Belaya hissed.

"Oh, we shall see about that, girl." the man said with a cackle, and then continued "Now, it is time to get some information. The Sith know the Jedi have a secret haven somewhere. Where might this be?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about. And even if I did I wouldn't tell scum like you." Belaya snapped, and tried to use the Force to keep any of them from sensing her lie.

"In that case..." the man said and suddenly typed in several things on the console, and a shock was sent to Belaya, she tried to use the Force to keep out as much pain as possible but let out a small squeal of pain "And that is only a small sample of what I could do. Every question you refuse to answer the pain will increase. Now, where is the Jedi's secret hideout?"

"You'll never know!" Belaya yelled angrily.

The torturer let out a small growl before looking back down at the console and upping the shock amount, and shocked her twice, she finally screamed this time as she was slightly moved by the shock, and after it was done she breathed heavily "Answer my question!" he snapped.

"NO!" Belaya shouted "You won't get anything out of me!"

He increased the shock amount for a third time, and she shrieked in pain and slowly clutched her chest as the pain rushed through her body. She wanted to beg him to stop, but she couldn't show him she was giving in.

"Then I shall ask another question," the torturer said "Are any other hidden spies on this planet, infiltrating the Sith Academy?"

"No, I was the only one, no companions were sent." Belaya lied, pain could be heard in her voice.

I must keep Sarin and Carth safe...I can't let them be exposed, especially Sarin... Belaya thought to herself, but kept them hidden from the other Sith

"Tell the truth." the torturer ordered as he shocked her again, her screams echoed across the halls.

"NO!"

"ANSWER THE QUESTIONS!" he yelled back

"YOU. WILL. NOT. BREAK. ME." Belaya shouted very loudly, tears streaming from her eyes in anger and pain.

He increased the shock amount one last time, and shocked her, and kept at it until she would respond truthfully. Her screams pierced the ears of everyone in the room, as her eyes widened and only pain could be seen in them, and suddenly she collapsed on the ground.

The torturer immediately stopped, as the three other Sith slowly approached the cage. Belaya lied there, her eyes open and wide and just staring off, not moving at all. Neither was the rest of her body, she was in the position she was when she collapsed, and she still after several minutes would not move.

"She's gone catatonic," the torturer said angrily "Take her away, and send her off to some hospital in Dreshdae. But she'll never wake up, I've seen this before, especially with the power of the torture I put on her."

The three Sith simply nodded, not saying a word, as they opened the cage and picked her up, and slowly carried Belaya out of the chamber, and eventually, the Academy, and delivered her to a simple small hospital in Dreshdae where she would be put on life support, but everyone knew she would never awake...

Carth fired his blaster in rapid shots, hastily backing down the narrow, winding tunnel as screeching, winged creatures howled and advanced on him hungrily. However he'd managed to take down the ringleaders before they could get too close, and the remaining ones did a U-turn and flew away, apparently deciding that their prey was dangerous and not worth getting killed over.

The caves then fell silent, after the echoes of flapping wings and screeching howls faded away. Once again, Carth found himself alone.

He had been exploring the caves for quite a while, and it seemed he had searched nearly everywhere, but he could not find Belaya anywhere. He was finally forced to conclude that she had probably gone out into the Valley, perhaps to locate supplies... or for that matter, she might have gone back to the Academy.

It would make sense, he thought. I highly doubt she would be able to find anything useful here, anyway.

On impulse, he returned to the camp site where Sarin's limp form still lay, beside the still-crackling fire. He figured if Belaya had returned, she would have returned there. But it was obvious she hadn't. Unless right now she is busy searching the cave for me, he thought.

He sighed. Frankly, which would be better? Waiting here for Belaya to return, or going to find her? Obviously there was no need to stay here any longer-about the only reason he had to stay put was so that Belaya could find him more easily. But a considerable amount of time had passed, and he had not seen or heard her, at all.

Finally he made a decision-he would need to leave the cave, and try to find her.

The first place Carth looked after leaving the cave was the Valley, but he didn't see Belaya anywhere there. He was tempted to ask one of the guards, or someone at one of the excavation sites, if they had seen her, but he decided it would be safer not too. He didn't need to draw attention to the fact that he couldn't find his "master" and raise questions.

So he returned to the Academy, even though that was the very last place he wanted to go. Something about that place made his skin crawl, and he wasn't even Force-sensitive. However, he had no choice.

But just as soon as he entered through the doorways, someone pointed in his direction, and he was grabbed roughly by the arms.

"Hey, what the-" he began, but was quickly silenced. "It's Belaya's slave!" one of his captors said. "He might be able to provide some useful information."

"Indeed-take him to the torture chamber," another said. "But tell that guy to be bloody careful this time. We can't afford to just lose another prisoner. And this guy isn't even a Jedi."

"Yeah but he's probably not just an ordinary slave, either," someone else said pointedly. "He's probably resistent to torture. I wouldn't be surprised if he's a Jedi himself."

"No he's not," the first Sith spat. "Unless your senses are completely blind, you should be able to sense he has no Force potential-none that I can sense, anyway."

Carth suddenly felt like he was a specimin of bantha being examined and analysed to determine how many credits he was worth. Before he could even try to get a word in though, he was hauled off, toward one of the rooms.

Dustil Onasi headed directly toward the torture chamber. Apparently he had been assigned to assist in the interrogation of a prisoner, in an attempt to discover secrets about the Jedi, and to determine if there were any other spies within the Academy. It didn't surprise him in the least that there were spies within the Academy, although he knew that Jedi could still be formidable. However, they could still be broken, as could their allies.

He had been told that this prisoner needed to be treated with care-they wanted to extract information out of him, but not kill him. That was one reason why Dustil had been assigned to this task, because he was getting to be quite gifted in the art of extracting information directly from a person's mind, with the aide of the Force. And since this person was apparently not a Jedi, or even Force-sensitive, it would make his task much more easy. However, if this did not work, the they would use the standard method of torture from a console, with drugs and/or electricity.

However, Dustil had no way of knowing that this would be a pretty big test for him... just not an official test assigned to him by the Sith. It would be a test on a personal level.

He entered the torture chamber, and even as the Sith stationed there began to speak to him a little about the prisoner, he turned to look at the spy-

And he froze, his eyes widening, his blood freezing into ice. It was the very last person he ever thought he would see.

"Father!" he exclaimed, and the Sith torturer's eyes widened slightly.

The expression on Carth Onasi's face mirrored his own. "Dustil!" he exclaimed. "Is that you?"

"This man is your father?" he said, then sneered. "Well then, I'm sure you both can have a nice little family reuinion as you attempt to glean information from his mind." Suddenly, his face twisted into one of suspicion. "Wait a moment," he said slowly, "if this man is your father, then that means you might be a spy yourself!"

"I am not a spy!" Dustil snapped, clenching his fists at his sides. "And I will get whatever we need out of him!"

Yet even as the words escaped his mouth, Dustil knew that he didn't want to do this. Going into his father's mind was the last thing he wanted to do. All those memories of Telos, of Mother, everything... He did not want to see those!

"Dustil-what-how-" Carth stammered in disbelief. "What are you doing here?" he blurted out. "I thought you were dead!"

"Oh did you now?" Dustil laughed humorlessly. "Well it's too bad you didn't still think that! Why in the world are you here?"

"I'm here on a mission," Carth said. He could still not believe his eyes. "I had no idea you were here-Dustil, you, I..." he trailed off. There were so many things he wanted to say, that he desperately needed to say, but he couldn't find the words to express them. It was like his mind had freezed up, trying to take everything in.

At first he had lost everything-his homeworld, his wife and son, and then all he had was his duty to the Republic, and the quest for revenge, to kill Saul. Then he winded up being marooned on Taris with someone who turned out to be no one other than the former Dark Lord of the Sith, however she managed to assist him in his quest for revenge-together they had tricked the Sith into capturing them, and then they managed to rescue Bastila, and killed Lord Malak and Admiral Saul Karath. But then they ended up on a quest to locate Star Maps, and they had lost several members of their crew. But in the midst of it all, the most unlikely thing of all had happened-Carth had begun to fall in love again, because he... when Sarin opened up her mind to communicate with the ancient Mother Firaxa on Manaan... her mind had brushed his, and he had seen how beautiful her spirit was. She was truly no longer the Dark Lord of the Sith. But then, he'd lost her. And now Belaya was dead, from what he understood, and he had been exposed and captured, so all he could do was try and find a way to escape, or at least protect the secrets of the Jedi and the Republic.

But this... this... was more than he could take. His own son, Dustil, now grown into a man who looked very much like himself when he had first started out serving for the Republic... and a Sith of all things! Alive and in person, right here and now, standing before him! Dustil was dressed in a dark Jedi robe, and a lightsaber was attached to his belt. He looked like a Sith. But the face, it was his son's. And his eyes... the eyes were Morgana's...

"I am taking you off this case," the Sith torturer said to Dustil, breaking into Carth's thoughts. "Until further notice, you will be under guard, until we can be certain you are not a spy yourself."

"YOU WILL NOT!" Dustil raged, and in an instand his lightsaber was in hand, and activated. Before the torturer even had a chance to react, Dustil's red blade slashed through the man's chest. He let out a cry of outrage and pain, then, clutching his mid-section, he crumpled to the floor.

Dustil fumed, glaring down at the body, and Carth could have sworn he almost saw steam rising from Dustil's shoulders. Finally, young Onasi shut off his lightsaber, and slowly turned back to face Carth.

"The only way I'm going to be able to convince anyone here that I'm a Sith, not a spy," he said slowly, "is to tear everything useful you know out of your mind."

"You don't want to do that," Carth said, meeting Dustil's eyes with his own, shaking his head.

"Yes I do, Father." Dustil said angrily, with gritted teeth "Forget a console, I will do this all myself."

Suddenly the cage swung open, and Dustil used the Force to swing Carth out and slam his head down on the long stone table behind the cage. He could hear a large grunt, and he slowly walked up behind Carth and grabbed him by his neck and pulled him up. "Now, I want you to tell me everything you know about the Republic and Jedi."

"Dustil, no, you can't do this..." Carth said, as blood poured out of his nose and mouth, "What would your mother say?"

"She wants me to do this, after how you let her die!" Dustil roared in anger and shoved him back down on the cold stone, and as more blood began to pour from Carth's face he breathed heavily.

"Dustil, please..." he begged.

"STOP! NO MORE OF YOUR FOOLISH EXCUSES!" Dustil shouted.

"Dustil, I am sorry, I could do nothing more, but stop, and we can make up for it no-" Carth started, but Dustil interrupted.

"OH ENOUGH OF THIS!" Dustil screamed furiously and pushed Carth away from him, and as he seethed with anger he decided to get what he needed the hard way.

Dustil closed his eyes, and used his strong power in the Force to slowly go into Carth's mind. "Wait-what a-" Carth said as he began to clutch his head in pain

Dustil opened his eyes, as slowly his face looked darker, and evil was the only thing in his eyes. Then with that he went full throttle into Carth's mind with the Force, and suddenly, even Dustil could hear a snap in Carth's mind.

He stared at his father, as Carth stared at him, the face looked like a combination of shock and pain. As he fell to his knees, not even making a sound or another motion, one single tear came from his left eye, as the rest of his body fell upon the stone floor, and his eyes closed...forever.

Dustil stared down at the sight of his father, narrowing his eyes. You always were weak, Father! he thought. You couldn't even last five minutes during a Sith interrogation!

He then turned and stalked out of the room, leaving the lifeless bodies of his father and the Sith torturer behind him-although he had already entirely forgotten about the latter. He was going to report defeat to his Master, and yet at the same time, he felt triumphant. Yes he had failed to get any information, and he had killed the very prisoner he was supposed to interrogate. But he had killed his father, and gotten revenge for the way Carth Onasi abandoned him, and was never even home while Dustil was growing up.

It doesn't matter that I didn't succeed at this task, Dustil thought, as he walked down the corridor toward one of the training areas, where his master was. I killed my father. That's all that matters.

He paused in mid-stride for a moment, then continued on, to report to Master Torres.

Many, many light-years away, Darth Bandon stood proudly on the bridge of his flagship, arms folded as he stared out the window, unconsciously looking very much like Lord Malak used too when he was the Dark Lord. Now that Bandon had taken his Master's place, he was taking advantage of his new-found position in many ways. Many among the Sith questioned his authority, at least in muted ways, saying that he had only become Dark Lord because of a freak accident. However, time and time again, he continued to prove his strength and his power, and it kept everyone in line.

A fleet had been dispatched to bomb Dantooine, just as Telos had been bombed. And once that place fell, it was only a matter of time before Coruscant fell. Soon the Republic, and what was left of the Jedi, would crumble before the might of the Sith. It was inevitable now, especially since word had been received that the Republic's only real defense had perished. Bastila Shan, with her gift of Battle Meditation, had died in a shuttle crash on Manaan of all things. So with her gone, the Republic was doomed.

Bandon nodded to himself, a sly smile crossing his features. Yes, he thought. One day very soon, the galaxy will belong to the Sith, and no one will be able to stand against us.


End file.
